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Somerset High School and Meet Katie, Nikita, and Adam:
Tradition
In 1895 the football team from “rural Kentucky” traveled to Louisville Manual to play the “big city” high school, and Somerset High demolished them. The local newspaper claimed that the team from Somerset jumped all over the local high school team “like a bunch of briar hopping rabbits” – or so the story goes, about the way SHS came upon the unusual name for its mascot. “The Jumpers” are the mighty 1-A school that was once the only high school in Somerset, and once the only football team. Times have changed. Excellence hasn’t. According to Principal Jeff Perkins, “One thing I do have here, is although we are smaller and do not have the resources of larger public school systems, our achievement is tops in the state.” SHS is the only high school in Pulaski County that met all CATS testing goals measuring a variety of established criteria. National Merit Finalists have graduated from this small school, which the students claim is an intimate, as has a similar reputation as a “prep school” in the area as The Jumpers have a tradition of academic accomplishment. SHS’s smaller school environment with the same amount of AP classes offered as the much larger Pulaski County Schools, and the fact that more kids can participate in sports and extracurricular activities, offers a compelling option in Pulaski County, as evidenced by a “waiting list” established for parents who live in Pulaski County, but outside the city, with an interest in their children attending either the elementary, middle, or high school in this district.
Seniors Katie Weigel, Adam Joplin, and Nikita Rodrigues Katie is a 3.9 GPA student attending Transylvania University next year on its $8,000 annual Pioneer Scholarship, among others, and is a member of National Honor Society, Beta Club, Student Council, and DCCA. She has been a runner since elementary school and on the Cross Country Team. Katie plans to follow in her father’s footsteps and attend either medical school or dental school – although he went to Louisville, she thinks she will likely attend UK for grad school. “Having known many of my classmates since pre-school, growing through this school system has made me appreciate the tradition of SHS. There is high involvement here with the sense of intimacy – with a much smaller senior class, our student section at games is always strong – I think students care more. We’re known for good academics and excellence all around. Mr. Perkins (Principal) was a great football player here, and we are all aware of it – it’s nice to have a principal who also attended our school. I wanted to stay with a smaller-sized school and Transylvania has a great reputation with many famous, historical alumni.” Adam is a 4.0 GPA student who will attend Rhodes College in Memphis next year on a $15,000 annual scholarship, and will also be on its track team. Adam won this year’s Cross County Meet in the County and was 2nd team All-State. He is also a member of National Honor Society, Beta Club, he is a Governor’s Scholar, and was Nikita’s Homecoming date! “My parents grew up in Florida but I was raised here on Lake Cumberland. There is nothing like the memories I have of summers on the Lake. Being a student at SHS feels often like you are a part of history. We all feel like we should try our best because we represent the school.” Nikita will graduate with a 4.0 and is Senior Class President, National Honor Society President, and the Homecoming Queen. A Governor’s Scholar, Nikita was also in Beta Club among many student clubs, and was a varsity tennis player and swimmer. Her plan is to study Pre-Med at Vanderbilt and will be attending on scholarship. She scored an impressive 33 on her ACT test. Nikita’s father, Dr. Rodrigues, a pulmonologist on staff at LCRH, is featured in this presentation. “I moved here in 3rd grade from Long Island, NY. Despite having a different culture and religion than my peers, I can say that a real testament to this area is how I have never felt out of place or different than anyone, and I was accepted and loved by teachers and peers from the start.”
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