Making Kentucky proud

By Ryan Kasey
Breckinridge County High School

It shouldn’t be surprising to hear that many students in the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program, scholars have accomplished great things. After all, these scholars survived a very competitive selection process designed to find Kentucky’s best of the best in academics and community service.
Despite their young age, this year’s scholars have auditioned for popular TV shows, won state championships, and brought home more awards than they have room to display. Most of these scholars are not the humble types.
Ethan Baker, an accomplished author and songwriter from Bowling Green, has the resume, but not the attitude.
Before finishing elementary school, he was already an award winning author, winning the Reading Rainbow state competition three years in a row. In first, second, and third grade, when most kids are learning to write cursive, Ethan was writing books that were getting state recognition.
Ethan said he got started writing because he always watched Reading Rainbow and wanted to be a part of it. Plus his mom was there pushing and inspiring him to write. Ethan wrote “The Summer Days” in first grade, “A Walk on the Beach” in second and “The Secret Life of Cows” in third.
Then that little kid grew up and his mom’s child prodigy wasn’t writing books anymore. For now.
Today Ethan is a senior at Bowling Green High School who is spending five weeks living and learning on the Bellarmine University campus in Louisville. He is one of only 1,074 candidates from around the state who was selected for participation in the unique experience called the Governor’s Scholars Program. The students were placed at Bellarmine and two sister campuses at Centre College and Murray State.
The program “addresses the needs of high achievers,” according to GSP Executive Director Aris Cedeño. And it’s no accident that Ethan Baker chose Creative Writing as his focus area of study.
Writing is not just his past. It’s his future as well.
Lately he has been trying his hand at songwriting. During his stay at Bellarmine, Ethan wrote a romantic song about causing a girl’s insomnia. Then he built up the courage to perform it as part of the GSP’s performance series, “Showcase.” Of course, it was a big hit with the girls on campus.
And it may inspire him to do more songwriting. But he is torn between songs and books.
“Songs would be easier,” Ethan said, “but books would make me feel more accomplished.” Being undecided about the future is just part of being a teenager – along with other issues like girls, grades and college.
But writing is sure be in there somewhere. In 10 years, that could be his new song on the Top 40 or that could be his new book in the window of Barnes and Noble. Whatever path he takes, Ethan Baker is an original and he will make Kentucky proud.
Which is kind of what Governor’s Scholars is all about.