Department of Highways, District 6
Kentucky State Maps Find Their Way to Local Schools

Kentucky State Maps Find Their Way to Local Schools

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Delivered Thousands to Elementary Classrooms

Covington, Kentucky – (January 26, 2006) – Where in the world is Monkeys Eyebrow?  Where is Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace?  What is a legend?  How many Counties are in Kentucky?  You can find the answers along with many other interesting facts on a Kentucky State Map. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet found a great way to help out the Department of Education by providing state maps to elementary school throughout the Commonwealth.  The maps will be a wonderful resource that will aid in geography and social studies classes as well as a reference tool.

“We have an abundance of 2004 and 2005 maps in storage, and, we view this as a golden opportunity to contribute to the expansion of horizons for thousands of young Kentuckian,” said Transportation Cabinet Secretary, Bill Nighbert.  “When a child becomes familiar with names and places and the various routes that connect them, that child’s curiosity can grow into a thirst for more knowledge about Kentucky.”

Gene Wilhoit, Commissioner of the Department of Eduscation, thanked the Transportation Cabinet for choosing to make the maps available to elementary school students.  “Frankly, we are pleased that, when the Transportation Cabinet realized that they had surplus highway maps at the end of the calendar year, their first thought was to use tem to support education!  Having readily accessible maps for so many children will lead them in the right direction to make many new discoveries in life.”

When an inventory was conducted and it was determined that there was an abundance of surplus maps, Secretary Nighbert contacted officials from the Department of Education.  They in turn contacted the elementary principals and teachers to email their requests for maps to the Transportation Cabinet.  In all, over 550 requests were made and nearly 80,000 maps were distributed throughout the Commonwealth!

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet encompasses twelve Districts.  District Six covers the counties of Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Harrison, Kenton, Owen, Pendleton and Robertson.  Over 6,000 maps were delivered to 31 different schools in District Six.

Jeff Lonneman, Principal for Ludlow Elementary commented,” We thank the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for providing the Kentucky highway maps to our students.”  He continued saying, “The 225 maps were distributed to all of our students in the third, fourth, and fifth grades. The students and teachers will be using them as tools for covering map skill as part of the Kentucky Core Content.”

“This is a shining example of how various agencies of state government can work together to improve student achievement,” added Education Cabinet Secretary, Virginia Fox.  “In fact, this project is consistent with two very important themes in Governor Fletcher’s overall vision for the Commonwealth, to advance education and to foster a cooperative spirit in state government.  The Transportation Cabinet’s maps initiative promotes the Governor’s vision with Unbridled Spirit.”

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Pictured above is Jeff Lonneman, Principal of Mary A. Goetz Elementary in Ludlow, Kentucky.  His school received 225 Kentucky State Maps that will be given to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students.

Pictured left is Nancy Wood, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 Public Information Officer, presenting A.J. Lindeman Principal, Benita Lowe with the maps that she requested for her school.