Katie Culpepper

Earns seat at opening of Clinton library

BY MATTHEW HOFFMAN
The Sentinel-Record
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Monday, November 22, 2004
Page 1

It was Fountain Lake junior Katie Culpepper's story about helping a widow that earned her a ticket to the opening of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center.

Culpepper was the only high school student out of the county's seven school districts to win the honor through an essay contest on community service. The contest was sponsored by the William J. Clinton School of Public Service.

Culpepper said her church's youth group helped clean up the widow's yard and house about two years ago, and the experience was most memorable for the teenager.

"I've been meaning to do this for so long," a teary-eyed widow told her. "I don't believe I've seen the house look this good or have so many kids here since James passed."

Besides being able to stand out in the cold rain during last Thursday's dedication ceremonies for the center, Culpepper and other winners were applauded for their community service efforts by actress and Arkansas native Mary Steenbergen and her husband, actor Ted Danson.

Steenbergen told the students the most important things are the small things they do for each other. These things, Culpepper recalled Steenbergen saying, cause a ripple effect that makes those who are helped want to help others.

Danson, the local teen said, congratulated the high schoolers on being community service-oriented at such a young age. He told them it was good they start now rather than later in life.

"It's not really the big things. You never know what kind of difference you'll make," Danson said.

Culpepper's activities include her church youth group, the school CHAMPS character organization, Spanish club, Beta Club and Fountain Lake's Environmental and Spatial Technology lab.

The EAST lab has assisted with projects for Operation Christmas Child, beautification projects, food drives, nursing home visits and assisted the Salvation Army and elementary school programs.

The essay winner was on the Malvern National Bank Student Advisory Board, and it allowed her to organize a walk to benefit the United Way and a talent show during Malvern's Brickfest.

"Katie is an exceptional young lady whose future is very bright," said Fountain Lake Gifted and Talented Coordinator Barbara Niven, Culpepper's sponsor.

Culpepper said she didn't believe she would win the contest, not having don as much as others.

She said the ceremony, during which she met the other winners, was humbling.

She said she was impressed by Bearden's Daniel Casey, who competed in every sport and belonged to every school organization in the Calhoun County district.

He was called on to speak at the students' ceremony Friday and listed all his community service projects. He became an Eagle Scout at age 15.

"He did everything and still managed to find the time to do all this," Culpepper said. "It makes you really want to do more than you do."

The plan was for Bill Clinton to serve as master of ceremonies, but his health and the rigors of the library opening were too much, Niven said.

The students received their own private tour of the facilities, though.

"It was neat to be able to go through and see all the things that have changed over the years," Culpepper said.

A replica of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room and the timelines of Clinton's accomplishments were impressive to the junior.

Welfare reform, health care, education, the Yugoslavian civil war and the releasing of South Africa's Nelson Mandela were shown alongside other news events that occurred during the same times.

Gifts to Clinton while he was president were on display, including some choice saxophones.

"Oh, my sister would kill for these," Culpepper said, referring to her freshman sister, Holly, who is in the Cobra Marching Band.

Culpepper's parents are Angela R. and Mark Culpepper.

Although she hasn't decided on a university, she said she will probably stay in the state and is leaning toward a career in advertising.

Culpepper Ancestry: Katie Culpepper is the daughter of Terrence Mark and Angela Renee Cook Culpepper.