The awards presented by the Pennyroyal Arts Council honor the memory of a self-employed Hopkinsville artist who taught hundreds of students during a career lasting 45 years.
Renikka Owen is leaving Millbrooke Elementary School and will become an interim principal at Hopkinsville Middle School. Tyler Stallons, currently at Christian County Middle School, will become Millbrooke's interim principal.
District officials introduced Ken Carver, who will be the executive principal at Christian County High School, at a press conference Thursday, and they revealed a new Tiger mascot for the school.
This year, Kentucky ranks 42nd in the nation for average public school teacher pay at $58,325 despite a 3.6% increase from the previous year. The national average teacher salary is $72,030, according to the 2025 data.
Self's widow, Carolyn Self, provided the initial $20,000 gift to create an endowment fund for the scholarship. Her late husband was an HCC faculty member for 28 years.
