Hopey Newkirk
Montgomery County HS, KY
"We're half-crazy but we believe everyone else is crazy for not running," said Hopey Newkirk about her cross country team.
Hopey views herself as a mentor and tries to foster family with her program.
"We teach family and we call ourselves a family. We celebrate graduations, we mourn loss, it's not a seasonal activity - it's year-round and all through their years. We encourage church activities, service activities, helping homeless families. It gives kids the big picture that we all need to help each other in this world and also helps them appreciate what humans sometimes take for granted."
That sense of family and commitment to one universal goal, has brought a mediocre running team from obscurity to regional champions.
"We weren't competitive (in the past). This past season we were moved into a much more difficult region. Our goal was State and we wanted a trophy - the top two teams in the region. We did a visualization and I said here (finish line) is where you're gonna lay down and die. And well, they did. I remember as the last runner crossed that line I looked and they were all laying down - it was cold and muddy - and I layed down with them right there. And it hit me right there that these kids had grown in their belief in themselves and that was a defining moment. And we got that trophy!"
Family, community and commitment to team are the values that create community for the Montgomery County Indians and what makes Hopey Newkirk such an admired leader.