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All Clark County Public Schools seek to emphasize educational involvement. 

One student at Shearer Elementary School was recently awarded for taking a significant step in a positive direction. 

Salem Routt, a second grade student, won an elementary school bookmark design contest after being one of over 35,000 entries across Kentucky – including multiple from the school. 

In a written statement, Routt expressed his enthusiasm. 

“My reaction to being chosen as the winner out of 35,000 entries is very surprising because it could have been anyone but it was me!” he said. “When they showed up at my school to reward me, I felt shocked and surprised. My parents even came and that was a big surprise!” 

The contest was associated with a reading incentive program the school participates in titled “Hit the Books”, which is sponsored by both the Lexington Legends and IHOP. 

A post on the Lexington Legends Facebook page from December 10, 2024, described the program. 

“This program is designed to generate a joy and desire to read within school students, using another one of America’s favorite pastimes, baseball!”, it stated. “Each student is asked to read four books at a grade level designated by their teacher. As each book is read, the teacher will mark each base on the bookmark until the student reaches home plate!” 

Lee-Ann Robinson, librarian at Shearer Elementary School, was instrumental in getting the school involved. 

“I received the information back in the fall…when they reached out last fall, I [thought], ‘Hey, I think this would be a great opportunity to motivate our students to want to read more books’” she said. “I signed up the entire school of students…I sent home the information about our program, and then I sent home bookmarks for the bookmark contest. I would say we had maybe forty or fifty students who returned the bookmarks, and I turned them into the Legends.” 

Routt’s baseball-themed bookmark was described. 

“He had the words ‘hit the books’ and then he had a couple of books. One is open. A stack of books is closed, and the word ‘the’ looks like a baseball diamond,” she said. “He has that, a trophy, and an actual baseball.” 

Routt was celebrated during a school assembly which – along with the likes of Shearer Elementary School Assistant Principal Lindsey Campbell and Clark County Public Schools Superintendent Dustin Howard – featured an appearance from his family and the Legends’ mascot. 

Campbell said that she hopes Routt’s example serves as an inspiration for other students. 

“We were very proud of Salem for his accomplishment, and we see the greatness out of every kid…that walks through our door,” she said. “I hope that this experience shows our students that if you can dream it, you can do it!”