KET honors Burton with O. Leonard Press Award

John Burton (04) was awarded the O. Leonard Press Award from Kentucky Educational Television (KET) for his volunteer work on behalf of the state’s public broadcast channel. The award, which is named in honor of the television network’s founder, is awarded to a dedicated member of KET’s Friend Board who has demonstrated exemplary service. 

“I was honored,” said Burton. “Receiving this award, especially on the 50th anniversary of KET, made me excited and feel like I had really done something,”

Burton joined KET’s Friends Board in 2007, representing District 32 which includes the counties of Magoffin,   Menifee, Morgan and Wolfe. As a board member, Burton advocates for the station by promoting programs and services, raising money and hosting special events in his own community. Throughout the year, the board meets several times to share ideas for new initiatives. 

Burton said, “It’s our job to contact our state representatives, notify individuals about new programming, host promotional events and thank folks for what they have done for the network.”   

Burton is a two-time graduate of MSU, graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with an Area of Concentration Middle Grades and a Master of Arts in Adult and Higher Education in 2014. Burton is a staff member of Morehead State’s Camden-Carroll Library in the Learning Resource Center. As a library associate, he has worked with several individuals to help them obtain their GED diplomas. 
“Everything ties back to education,” said Burton. “Life is a process of learning.”

Burton plans to continue volunteering for KET and hopes to one day become a member of the Executive Committee of the Friends Board. 

For more information about the Camden-Carroll Library visit www.moreheadstate.edu/library or call 606-783-2200.

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Photo: John Burton receiving the O. Leonard Press Award. From left: Shae Hopkins, KET executive director and CEO, John Burton and Julie Schmidt, KET senior director of external affairs.