Kentucky Star is an ongoing feature of Kentucky Agricultural News Online spotlighting the Star Exhibitors of the Kentucky Proud Points Program.

The Kentucky Proud Points Program is open to Kentucky youth who exhibit beef and dairy cattle, swine, goats and sheep. Exhibitors earn points for excellence in preview and district shows, the Kentucky Junior Livestock Expos, the Kentucky State Fair and other species-specific shows. The program is administered by the Division of Show and Fair Promotion in the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

"Livestock exhibiting teaches young people the value of discipline and hard work," Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. "I congratulate the Kentucky Star Exhibitor winners for their efforts, but I appreciate all the young people who participate in the program. Kentucky's most important crop is its youth, and the Kentucky Proud Points Program gives our young people an opportunity to learn and grow into responsible, productive, healthy and happy adults."

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Thomas Lundy

Age: 18

Hometown: Bardstown

Grade: Freshman

School: Morehead State University

GPA: 3.2

ACT: 25

Ag Clubs: 4-H and FFA

Projects: Beef cattle

Honors: 2008 Kentucky 4-H Livestock Judging Team (gold); 2008 state finalist FFA livestock judging contest

Participating in the Kentucky Proud Points Program taught me:

"For as long as I can remember, showing cattle has been a part of my everyday life, from leading around one of the traditional yellow and white Simmentals at the Kentucky Beef Expo when I was 2, to washing the lineup of current-day Simmental, Angus and Simangus crosses this past weekend. Through the years showing has evolved from being a hobby into an everyday way of life that gives more than it receives, which is rare to find today. I have learned values such as hard work, self-pride, motivation, self-dignity, teamwork, communication, time management, and to never get discouraged because things didn’t go your way. As I look back at all the things that I have learned and gained through the years exhibiting cattle, I can’t help but think about the two younger sisters and younger cousin that I have that start showing this year and how I am not only learning things for myself but also teaching it to them so they can get as much and hopefully more out of it than I have, and when they look back they, too, will realize that everything they have done relates back to what we learn working livestock. We may not realize it, but the work that we put into our livestock helps us in school with the hard work and communication and also in the work force with all of the things that we gain from showing being things that employers look for in their employees. Showing cattle has given me lifelong friends and molded me into the person that I have become today. Just think of the possibilities that it holds for you."

Non-agricultural extra-curricular activities and honors: Help local 4-H clubs, BETA, DECA, FCCLA, FBLA, Science Olympiad

Travis Drumm

Age: 14

Hometown: Winchester

Grade: 8

School: St. Agatha Academy

GPA: 4.0

Ag Clubs: 4-H

Teacher: Betty McGrath

Projects: Swine, sheep, tractor driving, foods, livestock judging, skillathon, backyard garden, speech, junior leadership, country ham, teen club

Honors: Commissioners Award for sheep, Grand Champion Lamb at numerous shows, champion swine, tractor and livestock record keeping, outstanding 4-H member

Participating in the Kentucky Proud Points Program taught me:

"The Kentucky Proud Points program has taught me responsibility, to have pride in my livestock projects, and to always work hard and to try your best. Also your hard work will eventually pay off."

Non-agricultural extra-curricular activities and honors: YMCA Outstanding Delegate Award, Hellenic Ideals Award

Carter Mobley

Age: 17

Hometown: Georgetown

Grade: 11

School: Scott County High School

GPA: 3.75

ACT: 23

Ag Clubs: 4-H and FFA

Teachers: John Fritch, Regina Fritch, Nathan Sewell and Lindsey Williams

Projects: Beef cattle and market lambs

Honors: Star Exhibitor, 2007 and 2008; Top 3 showmanship at Kentucky State Fair, 2008, Champion Shorthorn Heifer, 2008; Top Ten Steer, 2006-2008; Top Ten Showmanship, 2007 and 2008; Top Ten Skillathon, 2008; Top Ten Livestock Judging, 2008; FFA Chapter officer; Bluegrass Regional Sheep Impromptu Speech Winner, 2007-2009; second place, Bluegrass Region Sheep Proficiency, 2008; attended National FFA Conference in Indianapolis, 2008

Participating in the Kentucky Proud Points Program taught me:

"Being involved in the KDA Points program has been one of the most educational experiences of my life. I have gained a tremendous amount of animal science knowledge and skill through this program. The people at KDA who teach classes and are involved in the show circuit are national leaders in the animal science industry. The money available through KDA premiums will provide a large portion of my college funding. Not only have I benefited from the premiums, but over the past five years of participation I have built a small but very good herd of beef cows that should continue to provide some much-needed funds for college. The KDA Points program has also helped me be more competitive in FFA. My scholarship applications will be more competitive as well. There are many excellent agriculture-related scholarships available to people with good FFA projects. The points program has helped me to document and solidify my FFA projects, therefore making me a better scholarship candidate. The KDA points program has also forced me to be more responsible, mature and reliable. To be competitive at this level takes a great deal of self-discipline. I don’t always like getting up early and feeding livestock before school every day, but I do it because I know in order to be competitive the work must be done."

Non-agricultural extra-curricular activities and honors: Help local 4-H clubs, BETA, DECA, FCCLA, FBLA, Science Olympiad

Aubrey Harston

Age: 15

Hometown: Scottsville

Grade: 9

School: Allen County Scottsville High School

GPA: 3.8

Ag Clubs: 4-H and FFA

Teacher: Nikki Towe

Projects: Boer goats (breeding, meat and show stock), skillathon and livestock judging

Honors: 2008 Wilderness Trail District Goat Show Division Champion; Lincoln Trail Showmanship Division Champion; Two Rivers District Show Division Champion; Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo - Grand Rivers Showmanship Champion; Pennyrile District Division Champion, 2007 and 2008 Star Junior Exhibitor; 2007 and 2008 top 20 overall goat exhibitor; 2008 Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo East Commissioner's Award; 2008 Oral Reasons Winner; four grand champions

Participating in the Kentucky Proud Points Program taught me:

"The Kentucky Proud Points Program has taught me that to be successful in anything you do, you must work hard and put as much effort into it as you can. You can't just expect other people to do things for you. You have to learn new things and get out there and put your knowlegde to the test. This progam taught me to take responsibilty. Animals require a lot of attention and work, and I must be responsible enough to make sure my animals are healthy and cared for. In this progam there is a lot of competition, you lose some and you win some. I have learned that, no matter if you win or lose, it's about having fun and making new friends rather than winning. I would rather have fun and not win than win and have no fun at all. This progam has introduced me to so many new people. I have made lots of new friends. Without the Kentucky Points Program, I don't think I would have the confidence I do today. It is an awesome program!!!"

Non-agricultural extra-curricular activities and honors: Help local 4-H clubs, BETA, DECA, FCCLA, FBLA, Science Olympiad

Renee Laurent

Age: 15

Hometown: Princeton

Grade: 9

School: Caldwell County High School

GPA: 4.0

Ag clubs: 4-H and FFA

Ag teacher: Wes York (FFA advisor)

Projects: livestock judging (4-H); swine showmanship (4-H and FFA); supervised agricultural experience (FFA) - swine production and entrepreneurship and beef production placement

Honors: 1st, Kentucky Proud Swine Breeder of the Year, with Laurent Farms, 2008; Grand Champion Kentucky Proud Market Hog at the Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo - Grand Rivers, 2008; Commissioner's Award at the Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo - Grand  Rivers, 2008; top 10 junior judging and skillathon, 2008

Participating in the Kentucky Proud Points Program taught me:

"My participation in the Kentucky Proud Points Program has taught me many things such as responsibility, teamwork, and how to care for animals.  Responsibility through the feeding, watering, and walking of my showpigs and knowing that they are my responsibility to care for.  Being one of five kids, I have learned that teamwork goes a long way. I have learned communication and patience are both key to working with other people, and I am still working on strengthening these skills to really work well on our family farm.  The biggest thing I have learned throughout the last 3 years of being involved with this program is how to care for animals.  I have learned this hands on by not just feeding and showing, but through watching for heat cycles, picking out boars, breeding the pigs, and helping with farrowing through weaning.  These are all things many showmen don't get to really experience but through this program are encouraged to go the extra mile and really understand how amazing the swine breed can really be."

Non-agricultural extra-curricular activities and honors: varsity soccer (offensive player of the year); varsity basketball; member of St. Mark's Catholic Church youth group