Churchill Downs Governor's Scholars to be Saluted with Reception at Track on Wednesday, Nov. 4

Nov 03, 2009 Darren Rogers

Churchill Downs will welcome outstanding Metro Louisville area high school students who are members of the 2009 Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars initiative to the historic home of the Kentucky Derby on Wednesday, Nov. 4 with a reception at the track.
    
The students will be joined by their parents, family members and officials of their respective schools to celebrate their participation in the track’s Governor’s Scholars Program.  

The Churchill Downs initiative, which was launched in 2001, funds the participation in the overall Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program by students from Jefferson County and portions of surrounding counties who have overcome personal adversity and challenges to become high achievers in their personal lives and academic pursuits.  One student is chosen from each of Jefferson County’s legislative districts, some of which extend into surrounding counties, to benefit from the Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars Program.

Those attending the Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars reception will include Churchill Downs President Kevin Flanery and Dr. Aris Cedeno, academic dean of the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars program.

More than 200 Metro Louisville area high school students have participated in the Churchill Downs program since its inception.

Meanwhile, the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program, now in its 27th year, allows more than 1,000 participating students from across the Commonwealth to spend five weeks on a Kentucky college campus to take part in an intense program of hands-on academic studies, leadership building activities and co-curricular programs.

Students selected to participate in the program do so at no cost to the student. The mission of the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program is to enhance Kentucky's next generation of civic and economic leaders.

The leadership programs are conducted on the campuses of Bellarmine University in Louisville, Morehead State University and Centre College in Danville. 

MEDIA COVERAGE of the Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars Reception is welcomed. The reception is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET in the Trophy Room on the 4th floor of the Clubhouse. Interested media should park in the Longfield lot and enter the facility through Gate 10.

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2010. The track will conduct its 2009 Fall Meet from Sunday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 28. Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on November 5 and 6, 2010. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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