Ben Chandler

Mr. Speaker, today it is with great pride that I commemorate the 50th anniversary of Versailles High School's 1962 Kentucky state football championship. This commemoration has a special significance to me as my late grandfather, former Governor of Kentucky A.B. ``Happy'' Chandler, was on the sidelines cheering the football team to victory in the county where I was later born and raised.

The 1962 Yellow Jackets were one of the smallest football teams ever to win a Kentucky state championship, but what they may have lacked in size they made up for in their sheer determination and athletic skill. Led by the 1962 Central Kentucky Conference Coach of the Year John Snowden, this group of gritty underdogs confounded the experts by winning game after game and defying expectations.

On the day of the state championship game, more than half of the population of Woodford County was in attendance to root on the fan favorite Yellow Jackets. On that cold, windy Thanksgiving Day, the fans watched their Yellow Jackets overcome a bigger, stronger, and heavily favored opponent. The Yellow Jackets emerged victorious and claimed their memorable 1962 Kentucky state championship trophy.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to have this momentous anniversary celebrated in my home district. The ``Boys of '62'' truly represent Kentucky's passion and dedication to the game of football. This group of individuals will always be remembered as one of Kentucky's finest, and we will continue to celebrate their accomplishments for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career and contributions of a Central Kentucky educator and one of my constituents, Barbara Schaars.

After graduating from North Hardin High School in Radcliff, Kentucky, Barbara received both her bachelor's and master's degrees in special education from the University of Kentucky. A proud member of the Kentucky Education Association, she taught special education, gifted education, first grade, and art in the Anderson County School District for over 30 years before finally retiring in 2007. Along the way, she touched the hearts and minds of hundreds of students.

Barbara's accomplishments speak for themselves. She served twice as president of the Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an honor society for women educators. She received a citation for outstanding elementary art program from the Kentucky State Legislature and was honored with the Golden Apple Award from Ashland Oil. As coach of Anderson County Schools' academic teams and creative problem solving teams, her dedication to her students went beyond the classroom.

Since her retirement, Barbara has been pursuing her Masters of Divinity at Lexington Theological Seminary. She is a student minister at Bethany Christian Church, Disciples of Christ and previously served as the president of the Women's Fellowship at the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Lawrenceburg.

Barbara's passion for education, whether in the classroom or at church, inspires those around her and challenges all of us to make a positive difference in everything we do. Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing one of Central Kentucky's finest educators, Mrs. Barbara Schaars.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of one of Kentucky's most distinguished and long serving journalists, Keith Runyon. Mr. Runyon retired from the Louisville Courier-Journal after 43 years this last April, and it is an understatement to say that Kentucky will miss this giant in the journalism field.

A lifelong resident of Louisville, Keith Runyon joined the Courier- Journal at the age of 18 while he was a student at the University of Louisville. His relationship with the Bingham family left an indelible impression on his career, and I know Keith is proud to be the last serving member of the Bingham-era editorial board. From his early days as an obituary writer, Keith worked his way through the ranks of the paper before quickly joining the editorial board in 1977. Always seeking a greater challenge, he also started attending the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law the same year and later became the editor of the Courier-Journal's book page in addition to his editorial page responsibilities.

Whether tackling education reform or tax referendums, Keith's judgment and talent

shaped the editorial board for more than 40 years. Throughout his esteemed career, Keith has received many awards and accolades but perhaps none as impressive as his most recent. This spring, he received the Society of Professional Journalists' gold medal, one of the most prestigious honors for editorial writing in the country, for his work on the proposed merger of the University of Louisville hospital.

A proud graduate of Leadership Louisville, he is a vibrant participant in the great issues confronting all of Kentucky. He constantly strives to promote equal rights for all and to advance the progressive principles of the New Deal, the New Frontier, and Great Society. Long after his retirement, the work he did both in and outside of the newsroom will continue to have an impact on Louisville and all of Kentucky. Keith Runyon leaves big shoes to fill at the Louisville Courier-Journal, and I wish him, his wife Meme, and his family the best in their future endeavors. I congratulate him on his stellar career and thank him for all he has done for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.