Our Affiliated Project: Jenkins Independent School in Jenkins, Kentucky

Facts about Jenkins Independent School:

  • Grades served: Seventh – twelfth
  • Average enrollment 235 students
  • Facility description: The two-story building comprises twenty classrooms, two computer labs, a cafeteria, a gymnasium, an art room, a band/music room, a library, a guidance office, and four special education rooms.
  • School curriculum: The curriculum is based on the KY Program of Studies and the KY Core Content.
  • Academic schedule: The school year typically begins the first week of August and ends the second week of May. Normal holidays are observed.
  • Sports and activities: Extracurricular activities include basketball, cheerleading, football, academic team, baseball, cross country, golf, marching band, spirit club, Bible club, art club, key club, hunting and fishing club, and book club.
  • Faculty: The faculty is comprised of classroom teachers, a gym teacher, a band and music teacher, an art teacher, four special education teachers, a librarian, and a Family Resource Center Coordinator.
  • Percentage of students on the Federal Free or Reduced-Price Meal Program: 68%
  • Meals: Breakfast and lunch are served daily.

Jenkins Independent School is located in rural and mountainous Letcher County. Located in the heart of Kentucky’s Eastern Coal Region, Letcher County holds the unfortunate distinction of having the second-largest unemployment rate in Kentucky. Coal from this region once fueled factories, powered locomotives, and heated millions of homes. In fact, Jenkins was named for the president of the coal company that founded the town in 1911.  However, the coal industry, which once employed the majority of the area’s workforce, has sharply declined due to automation and the increased use of other fuels.  Lack of employment opportunities has resulted in widespread poverty, along with associated socioeconomic issues such as drug abuse, obesity, and domestic issues.

For this reason, Jenkins Independent School serves as a beacon of hope for this community, providing its students with a well-rounded education –the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and helping children rise above the difficult circumstances from which they come.