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People interested in helping local educators, parents, students, and community leaders receive regional recognition for going above and beyond to advance education in their schools and communities now have additional time to file nominations for Forward in the Fifth’s 2012 AppLE Awards.

Forward in the Fifth, a nonprofit organization created to help raise the educational attainment levels in the Fifth Congressional District, will now accept nominations for its Appalachian Leaders in Education (AppLE) Awards through April 30 for leaders in education, including local parent and student support groups, who have made significant contributions to promote and support education.

Nomination forms for the 2012 AppLE Awards are available here: 
Educator nomination form Download PDF Download DOC
Business nomination form Download PDF Download DOC
Parent nomination form Download PDF Downlaod DOC
Student nomination form Download PDF Download DOC

All completed nomination forms must be emailed to Forward in the Fifth administrative assistant Rhonda Lawson at fif@centertech.com. They may also be printed, completed, and mailed by the April 30 deadline to Forward in the Fifth, 2292 South U.S. 27, Somerset, KY 42501. Submissions by fax or telephone will not be accepted.

To download and save PDF forms to your computer, you must first click a “Download PDF” link beside the appropriate nomination form. If you prefer to work with PDFs but do not have Adobe Reader, you can download it for free here: http://get.adobe.com/reader/.

To download and complete Microsoft Word documents, just click the “Download DOC” link beside the appropriate form, and the file will be downloaded into your browser, where you can then retrieve and complete it. 


The AppLE Awards—which stands for Appalachian Leaders in Education—celebrate excellence in education by honoring professional educators and supporters in 42 counties within Forward in the Fifth’s primary service region.

“The purpose of the AppLE awards is to acknowledge the positive accomplishments that are being made in all areas of education across Southern and Eastern Kentucky,” said Jim Tackett, executive director of Forward in the Fifth. “Many individuals and groups have gone above and beyond to improve the overall quality of education in our region, and we want to honor their work and dedication in helping to raise the education attainment levels for all of our students.”

Nominations forms for Forward in the Fifth’s 2012 AppLE Awards will be accepted through April 30 in four award categories:

  • Educators, professional and support staff
  • Community leaders or business/community organizations
  • Parents or parent groups
  • Students or student groups

For more information on the AppLE Awards, contact Forward in the Fifth executive director Jim Tackett at 606-677-6000 or email fif@centertech.com.

Finalists will be selected in each of the four award categories and notified by Forward in the Fifth of their nomination. Award winners will be announced in during a special event this May.

Forward in the Fifth, an affiliate of The Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Ky., introduced the first AppLE Award in November 2011 at its 25th Anniversary Celebration and Unbridled Learning Educational Summit in Hazard.

U.S. Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05)—the visionary behind the creation of Forward in the Fifth—was presented the inaugural AppLE Award for his role in creating the nonprofit organization in 1986 and moving education forward in Southern and Eastern Kentucky.

“The AppLE Awards illustrate the progressive activity and partnerships that are occurring within our region to advance education in Southern and Eastern Kentucky,” Tackett said.

“These awards not only recognize visionary leaders for their outstanding achievements in education but encourage others to work to make a difference in promoting education in our region.”

Nominations will be accepted within Forward in the Fifth’s 42-county primary service area, which includes: Adair, Bath, Bell, Breathitt, Casey, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Estill, Floyd, Garrard, Green, Harlan, Jackson, Jessamine, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lincoln, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Rowan, Taylor, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe.