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Katie Beth Smith, a student at Lincoln County Middle School, was one of 31 students from Southern and Eastern Kentucky that graduated from the seventh and final summer class of The Center for Rural Development’s 2019 Rogers Explorers program.

Smith, the daughter of T. Hank and Laura Lynn Smith of Hustonville, attended the session held July 10-12 on the campus of Morehead State University.

She is the final student from Lincoln County to graduate from all seven Rogers Explorers camps this past summer on leading Kentucky college or university campuses.

Rogers Explorers is open to eighth-grade middle school students within The Center’s 45-county primary service area who have a strong interest in developing their skills in leadership, team building, community service, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields of study.

“For most of these students, this is the first time they will experience life on a college campus setting and to seriously begin thinking about different career choices before they enter their freshman year in high school,” said Lonnie Lawson, President and CEO of The Center. “We want to give students the knowledge and tools they need to discover their career pathways and to plan for the future.”