National Archives, UK Libraries present Earle C. Clements Award to Scott County educator

The National Archives and the University of Kentucky Libraries Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Research Center presented the second Earle C. Clements Innovation in Education Award to UK College of Education doctoral student Margaret Lynn Brewer, a world civilization teacher at Scott County High School in Georgetown, Kentucky. The award was presented by U.S. Archivist David S. Ferriero at a ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at the Special Collections Research Center Great Hall, in the Margaret I. King Library Building. A reception followed the event.

The Clements Award honors the life and career of the Earle C. Clements and his lifelong commitment to education and public service. Clements’ political career included service as a county sheriff, clerk and judge; terms in the state senate and as governor; and terms in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, where he was a close colleague to future President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Selected from high school history and/or civics (social studies) teachers throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Brewer was selected by an independent review panel for the Clements Award for demonstrating a teacher’s knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, the subject and commitment to increasing student awareness of the importance of public service; expertise in civics and history content and the ability to share it with students; impact on student success; and evidence of creativity and innovation.

Originally from Worthington, Ohio, Brewer holds a bachelor's degree from Transylvania University and a master's degree in secondary education and social studies from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). Prior to working at Scott County High School, where she teaches arts and humanities and advanced placement human geography, as well as world civilization, she taught at West Jessamine Middle School, Mercer County High School and Boyle County High School.

Brewer, who has been teaching for 16 years now, is currently working on her doctoral degree in instruction and administration with an emphasis on curriculum and instruction at the UK College of Education. Content area literacy is one of the educator's passions, and she spends a lot of time working with the Writing Projects at EKU and University of Louisville, as well as the National Writing Project. In addition, Brewer works with the Kentucky YMCA and helps sponsor the Y-Club at Scott County High School.

Many students, colleagues and supervisors praised Brewer for her work in and out of the classroom, including one student who wrote, "Ms. Brewer is far and away the most thoughtful and caring teacher I have had the pleasure of having class with."

Brewer was presented with the Clements Award by National Archivist David S. Ferriero, the 10th Archivist of the United States.

UK President Eli Capilouto and Provost Tim S. Tracy also participated in the award presentation, as well as Bess Clements Abell, Earle Clements' daughter and a member of the UK Libraries National Advisory Board. Bess and her husband, Tyler, made a gift to the National Archives to support the award.

UK Special Collections Research Center is home to UK Libraries' collection of rare books, Kentuckiana, the Archives, the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, the King Library Press, the Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Research Center, the Bert T. Combs Appalachian collection and the digital library, ExploreUK. The mission of the center is to locate and preserve materials documenting the social, cultural, economic and political history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.