A local educator has been named the Fannie Bronson Postell Woman of the Year, an award named for a transformative school leader who served the community 100 years ago.
Kim Batts, a teacher and mentor in Christian County Public Schools for 35 years, received the award Thursday evening at The Book & Bottle Shop. Several dozen community members packed the downtown shop for the Women’s History Month celebration conducted by the Hopkinsville-Christian County Human Rights Commission.
Commission board member Yasamin Ausenbaugh described Batts’ career and impact in the community.
“Her work ensures that students are not only academically prepared but also equipped with the confidence, critical-thinking skills and civic awareness needed to thrive in an ever-changing world,” she said.
In addition to teaching middle and high school classes, Batts has been a sponsor for Kentucky Youth Assembly and Key Club. She was the 2025 commencement speaker for Hopkinsville High School.
“Her influence is reflected in the countless students she has mentored, the programs she has strengthened, and the communities she continues to bless,” said Ausenbaugh. “Her work mirrors the legacy of Fannie Bronson Postell, an educator and leader who believed in the power of education to transform lives and communities.”
Postell, a Black educator during segregation, was a graduate of Berea College. She was elected superintendent of Hopkinsville schools for Black students in 1907 and became principal of Attucks High School in 1927.
Batts spoke briefly after accepting a plaque from Raychel Farmer, the commission’s executive director.
“I love everything I do … and the students I get to influence,” she said.
Batts was among four nominees for the award this year. Also considered were Magaline Ferguson, a banker and county magistrate, Peggy Mullins, a mental health professional, and Dawn Patricia Thomas, a registered nurse and Hopkinsville Community College instructor.
The commission also recognized the top three essay writers — Ajae Oatts, Kaylyn Lynch and Addison Gilkey — among students competing for college scholarships. Each student read an essay describing a woman who had been a positive influence for them.
Ajae Oatts received a $500 scholarship, Kaylyn Lynch received $300 and Addison Gilkey received $200.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
