ACTC honors org partners with Kingsbrook Lifecare Center for community project
Published on Dec 18, 2024
ACTC’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Alpha Omega Gamma chapter recently completed a research and community action project partnering with Kingsbrook Lifecare Center, made possible by a research grant from PTK International.
The project, titled “Stories From The Past, Hope For The Future,” included a presentation for Kingsbrook residents by ACTC Communications Professor Dale Queen, who shared information about relevant and historical Ashland landmarks from his published book “Gems Of The River Cities,” as well as a donation of several brand-new books on Kentucky based history and themes from the Jesse Stuart Foundation.
The student-led project, known as “Honors in Action,” followed the theme of “Storytelling,” which is set by PTK International and rotates every 2 years.
The idea to partner with a local long-term care facility came during the initial research and investigation stage of the project, which aims to help solve or improve a community problem.
Janet Thompson, ACTC PTK Advisor, explains that student members wanted to make a connection and impact on the elderly population.
“Our elder population represents a lot of wisdom and history in our community and we felt the group at Kingsbrook would really enjoy hearing facts and even reminiscing on their own memories about Ashland’s local history,” Thompson said. “Engagement and activities are an important factor for someone in nursing home care and can greatly improve feelings of depression, isolation and loneliness. We chose to work with Kingsbrook because the organization has been a great community partner for ACTC.”
Kingsbrook Activities Coordinator Kathy Thomas was thrilled to host ACTC for the special project.
“The residents love to read and we currently have an active book club and an open library. Reading and storytelling brings the residents together to start conversations, reminisce on nostalgia, and exchange their histories of growing up in the area,” said Thomas. “It’s a way to spark joy by bringing up memories from childhood, school, or work. The presentation from Professor Queen was excellent, offering a lot of new information on our city’s history, as well as an opportunity for the residents to share their own memories and experiences with these places.”
Phi Theta Kappa is an international Honor Society for 2-year students. Membership eligibility includes having a minimum of 18 credit hours with a 3.25 cumulative GPA. Invitations to join PTK are sent by mail to eligible students in the fall/spring semester.
For more information about PTK membership and program contact PTK Advisor Janet.Thompson@kctcs.edu.
Written by: Janet Thompson
