A student who has ties to both Olmstead Elementary School and Russellville Junior High School was selected County Winner in the 2016 Grandparent of the Year essay contest sponsored by AARP Kentucky and the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association (KRTA).

Chloe Newman is among thousands of Kentucky fifth graders who participated in the 15th Annual Essay competition for 2016. Students submitted essays answering why "My Grandparent should be the AARP Kentucky Grandparent of the Year" to their 5th grade teacher.

When she wrote the essay, Chloe was a fifth grader at Olmstead Elementary School. Now she is a sixth grader at Russellville Junior High School.

According to Sue Wood of the Russellville/Logan County Retired Teachers Associaion, a committee judged the school winners and then selected the county winner. Chloe wrote about her grandfather, William Pursley. She read her essay to the September meeting of retired teachers.

The essay competition is a unique way to recognize the significant contributions that older Kentuckians make toward shaping the lives and values of youth across the Commonwealth. 

Pictured are Tom Thompson, president of the Russellville/Logan County Retired Teachers Association; Jennifer Myers, Russellville Assistant Principal Jennifer Myers, Carol Pursley, Chloe Newman, William Pursley, and Chloe’s teacher when she wrote the essay, Olmstead’s Stephanie Alvis.