The Man Who Makes Big Things Happen
By Kellie Upton
Oldham County High School

Sixteen-year-old Aristófanes Cedeño stepped into the bathroom during a break at his job in Panama, and there in the bathroom was United States President Jimmy Carter. Aris reached out to shake the President’s hand and felt a gun shoved in his back as he said, “You must be the President.”

Little did he know, but this chance encounter with the President of the United States was just a warm-up, preparing Aris for a future of encounters with government officials. A teacher and scholar, Aris found his life affected by politicians and government workers since joining the Governor’s Scholars Program in 1992. And that has only increased since he became executive director of the organization in 2006.

The GSP’s goal, to keep the “best and the brightest” of the Commonwealth’s students living and working in the Commonwealth, requires an investment from the state. So much of Aris’s job is to convince politicians that GSP is important and a good investment for the state.

This year, Aris wanted to offer a unique opportunity to his scholars, one that had been knocked around for years in discussions with faculty and staff. It was a partnership that would bring together the best aspects of two public agencies dedicated to change – GSP and Habitat for Humanity. The partnership would marry the key concept of Habitat, homes for the homeless, with the public service mission of GSP.

For Aris, the time was right. The upcoming 30th anniversary of Kentucky’s Governor’s Scholars Program called for something special, and this was it.

    “We wanted to celebrate the 30th anniversary with something bigger than the campus,” said Aris. It also fit with his passion to serve the homeless and nurture the next generation.

Aris Cedeños holds Hawa Muse at the dedication of the Muse's home.

    With this project, Aris had three goals in mind: to involve the whole campus in a single community service project, to make scholars and others aware of dire situations such as homelessness, and to help scholars understand the concept of people and place and how they affect their surroundings.
   
The Habitat organization is currently the ninth largest homebuilder in the United States, having built more than 500,000 homes and having provided shelter for approximately 2.5 million people worldwide. When Aris presented his idea to local Habitat officials, they were skeptical about having 360 teenagers constructing a house in five weeks. On average, a Habitat build involves about 30 volunteers and takes approximately three months to complete. And then there was the age of the scholars: all of them were minors under the age of 18, and many of them were only 16.

Aris fought to make this happen.

    “I just knew how much you were going to embrace the project,” he told Habitat officials.

Perhaps it is no accident that Aris fought so hard to cultivate this relationship with Habitat, an organization that was heralded by Jimmy Carter in 1984 as a meaningful way to promote peace and human rights. Aris is an inspirational and caring person to all who get to know him. His love for community is shown through his attention to each individual scholar. His intelligence and kind heart enable this program to succeed and flourish.

“Aris is like my second father,” said Bryan Rich, GSP’s assistant director, Bellarmine Campus, who has been working alongside Aris for 15 years. “He is very people oriented and cares for the program and everyone in it.”

For Aris, the clear focus of this project was the family that would occupy the Habitat house, particularly the children. Watching his actions and expressions when communicating with the kids offers a peek into his soul. He finds he can most relate to Hawa, the youngest daughter in the family, because he never had sisters. He admires the attitudes and energy of little kids, and he respects their take on life.

    “You will not enjoy life if you are not like them at some point,” he said.

Timeline: From Nightmare to Dream House
By: Julia McCorvey
Henry Clay High School, Lexington

Twenty-five experienced Habitat volunteers, 54 mostly inexperienced Governor’s Scholars Program staff members, and 360 upcoming high school seniors all working together to build a house.
That sounds like a logistical nightmare.
Add to that the fact that they planned to build the house in just four weeks, when the usual time for building a Habitat home is 12.
To some people, that sounds impossible.
 “I don’t think anyone realized what we had stepped up to do,” said Chuck Sgro, the Volunteer House Leader.
It’s doubtful that anyone fully realized what GSP was getting itself into when a year ago program leaders decided to partner with Habitat for Humanity to build a house on the west side of Louisville.
But once committed to the idea, GSP’s Executive Director and Academic Dean Aris Cedeño did everything he could to make it happen, despite misgivings by the local leadership of Habitat. Sure , the work crew would mainly be made up of young and totally clueless amateurs, but Aris had every confidence in the students who had already proved their worth – in academics, leadership and public service – before they were even considered for the GSP program.
In their initial meetings with GSP, however, Habitat leaders were not as enthusiastic about the partnership, fearing safety problems with such a large and inexperienced workforce.
    But Aris was determined. “They are good, and they are going to do it!” he told Habitat leaders.
“It wasn’t a matter of if you could do it. It was a matter of if (legally) we could put a power tool in your hand,” Chuck said. But Habitat agreed to partner with GSP and build a home for a family of deserving immigrants from war-torn Somalia.
The scholars began working on house in June, shortly after the foundation had been completed. Four weeks later, the house was completed – a record time for Habitat. Much of the credit belongs to Chuck Sgro, who created a safe and efficient working environment for all his young workers.
 “The thing that made it different was that I had to have either our suppliers, sub-contractors or other specialty groups come in on days when the GSP folks were not there. It was a challenge. Add to that the holiday and the fact that two of the weeks (had) triple-digit temperatures!” said Chuck, still appearing a little amazed that the job was done and done well.
Here is how it happened, as revealed in timelines Chuck provided:

Dirty Hands and a Mission Accomplished
By Austin Lowe
Green County High School

Kenny Wilson knew he was selected for Kentucky’s Governor’s Scholar Program based on his academic achievement, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. He didn’t know that the GSP also wanted him to do some carpentry work.
But shortly after he arrived on campus for the five-week program at Bellarmine University in Louisville, he was stunned to learn that he and 359 other scholars would be required to build a house with Habitat for Humanity.
Kenny, a rising senior from South Warren High School (Warren County) is deeply involved with mission work and Christian ministries, but this was a different kind of mission.
“I was excited to be helping out the family, but I was nervous because I did not know how I would be contributing,” said Kenny.
Well, it would be dirty work, but at the end of the day, he could see the progress he made.
When Governor’s Scholar Program Executive Director, Aris Cedeño, announced that the program was partnering with Habitat for Humanity, Kenny made a strong connection to his mission work. Kenny is an active member at Living Hope Baptist Church, and enjoys devoting his time to his Christian faith and witnessing through others.
“While doing mission work, we try to help others during situations when they are in need. We want to help better the lives of those we encounter and create a positive impact,” Kenny explained.
Work at the Habitat building site on the west side of Louisville began shortly after the opening ceremony for the five-week GSP experience at Bellarmine University. The foundation was in place when the scholars arrived, so Kenny and his fellow workers began to add trusses under the watchful eye of experienced Habitat volunteers.

GSP Scholar, Kenny Wilson

Despite the heat and hard work, Kenny took pride in what he had accomplished. Each of the 360 scholars were expected to put in a half-day shift at the site, doing whatever was needed, from nailing studs to installing vinyl siding, flooring, roofing, and finally painting, and landscaping.
“It was nice to compare how much progress was made from the beginning of the day to the end,” Kenny said.
Kenny was honored to work alongside the family. On his day at the worksite, he heard stories of how the family had worked hard to make ends meet since they settled in Louisville. The father, Omar Muse dreamed of having a home for his family and finally found his opportunity when he was accepted into the Habitat program.
“Having Omar on the site was inspiring because the family has been through a lot. But through hard work, they will now accomplish their dream of having a home,” Kenny said.
The house finished, a dedication ceremony was held on Saturday, July 14, just one week before the end of GSP. Scholars, Habitat volunteers, neighbors and community leaders gathered at the site to celebrate with the family, who were given the keys to their new home.
As a token of gratitude, family members gave cards to all of the scholars. Kenny cherished his gift as a way to remember the hard work and passion that went into creating a home.
“It was amazing to have everyone in the community involved,” he said.

At Habitat, Only the Best Get in the Door
By Austin Hertzler
Apollo High School, Owensboro

Out of every 100 people who apply for a Habitat for Humanity house, only three are accepted. For applicants, the process won’t just be tough, it will be close to impossible.
Omar Muse and his wife Ubah knew they faced slim chances when they began the application process with Habitat in Louisville.
Of the 1000 applications Habitat of Louisville receives every year, only 30 become a part of the program. With odds against them, the family of Somali immigrants jumped into the three-month application process that would eventually match them with a team of 360 teenagers who would help build them a home as part of their work in the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program.
    Before families can even begin the Habitat application process, they must first complete a pre-application that reveals their income and debt to see if they will be able to afford and maintain the home. The income requirements are very specific.
A document obtained from Jackie Isaacs, Family Services Coordinator, states that the family must have “28 (to) 70% of Area Median Income.” Volunteer House Leader Chuck Sgro added that the family must have “no more than $3,000 of debt in anything.”
    If approved they move on to the six page full application, which is much more rigorous. Out of the original 1000 pre-applications, only 100 move on to the full-application. It requires a seemingly endless list of documents, including proof of income, tax returns, bank statements, birth certificates or green cards, all loan information and insurance information.
    All of this is reviewed and further scrutinized by Habitat’s Family Selection Committee. They also check the family background on seven other points ranging from employment and landlord references to running a lien check. After meeting requirements in every way, applicants are chosen by a vote before entering the program.
    “I get to see dreams come true,” Isaacs said, “but I also have to see dreams not come true.”
    Ubah and Omar persevered through the intensive process to become one of those 30 lucky families. They proved that they could be sound homeowners and follow through with the commitment required. Once accepted, their work was still far from over. Habitat for Humanity does not simply give away the homes they build.

Aris Cedeños hands the house keys to Omar Muse at the dedication.

     “Habitat for Humanity offers a hand up, not a hand out...” states the Habitat website.
    Unknown to most, families must complete 400 hours of “sweat equity” by working on their home, other Habitat homes, or working at the Habitat ReStore. Ubah and Omar were very dedicated to this. They both worked right alongside the scholars building their home, even during the days of unrelenting heat. Plus, they both contributed to other Habitat homes being built.
    “I feel Ubah and Omar were very grateful because they worked hard through the whole process.” said Governor’s Scholar Rebecca Black of Dawson Springs, who saw firsthand the work of the husband and wife.
    The kids, being under 16 years old, couldn’t contribute to the sweat equity hours, but they helped in their own way, creating thank you cards for the scholars and the leaders from both Habitat and the Governor’s Scholars Program.
    Habitat also requires families to attend classes that would give them the skills and know-how to  be responsible and efficient homeowners.
    “They have to go through budget classes, home maintenance classes, (and) neighborhood classes… about 125 to 150 hours,” said Sgro.
    Once it is built and the family closes on their home, normally about a year after an approved application, they begin making payments. The loan is a 20-year, interest free mortgage making it easier for the families to follow through on paying for the home. All of the payments they make will go straight to building a home for another Habitat family.
This seemingly never-ending process is what matched the Governor’s Scholars with a family that touched their hearts. The family felt they were being blessed by the experience when in fact the scholars were the ones being blessed.
“We wanted a family with younger children that (the scholars) could relate to,” said Aristófanes Cedeño, the Executive Director of the Governor’s Scholars Program. “We wanted a family that matched best to this group.”
The Muse family was a perfect fit.

A Record Build, a Blessed Experience
By Zac Garrard
Owensboro High School

When Omar Muse and Ubah Adan learned that Habitat for Humanity was going to build them a house, little did they know that their construction crew would include 360 inexperienced, up-coming high school seniors.
Sure, those students were members of the 2012 Governor’s Scholar’s Program, a highly competitive academic community made up of Kentucky’s best students and young leaders, but could they build a house?
Perhaps they weren’t the best candidates for a construction crew, but remarkably, that was not the biggest challenge facing Habitat leaders as they planned the project. The truly inspiring aspect was the time frame for the build.
In partnership with GSP, Habitat officials agreed to complete the work while the scholars were living and working in the summer program at Bellarmine University in Louisville. In addition, every scholar was to take part in the construction during that time.
“We were asked to consider doing it in a four-week period so we could begin and end it while all of them were still at Bellarmine. That added several other challenges to the process. It normally takes Habitat 12 to 14 weeks to begin a house and take it through the full process,” said Chuck Sgro, the Habitat site construction manager.
With Sgro and his Habitat volunteers leading the way, the scholars came through, completing their work in a record-setting four weeks, and Habitat dedicated the house on July 14.
Throughout Sgro’s long tenure as a volunteer Team Leader for Habitat, never has he had to build a home from concrete slab to living functionality in such a demanding amount of time.
Scholars played a role in every aspect of the build after the cement foundation was in place. With  two groups of 18 to 30 scholars arriving at the worksite each day, they raised the frame and roof, added siding, painted the house, and even set up a Habitat community garden for downtown Louisville residents.
“I was fortunate enough to visit and work on the house twice,” said scholar Bryce Rowland of Ballard High School in Louisville, “and each time I felt moved to help in any way possible.” Bryce said he was delighted to have spent his summer “involved in such a noble way.”
The course of construction was not a smooth and simple one, however. On arrival every day, each new group of scholars had to be prepped on basic building techniques and safety.
But the scorching summer heat was the most constraining factor in getting the job done. Oftentimes an afternoon session would be cancelled due to the unhealthy heat. Habitat volunteers and scholars would try to take full advantage of the time available until the temperature was officially deemed too hazardous to continue.

GSP Scholars attend the dedication of the Habitat house.

Regardless of the setbacks, Habitat and GSP volunteers completed construction on schedule and the keys were turned over to a grateful and hard-working family at a dedication ceremony on July 14.
Omar Muse and Ubah Adan are Somali immigrants who eventually married and settled in Louisville, where they have been forced to move from motels and short term housing for several years. They have four children, with one on the way, and two of Ubah’s young sisters will also be living with them.
For Chuck Sgro, that was the big payoff from Habitat’s partnership with the Governor’s Scholars.
“In the end,” he said, “your group has made it possible for a very young deserving family to have a new, safe home that they will own to raise their family and to improve their lives -- and we are all blessed to have had the experience.”

Habitat Families Must Earn Their Keys
By Ashley Dawson
Murray High School

Fleeing a life of fear and constant danger in war-torn Somalia, Omar Muse and Ubah Adan each came to the United States attracted by the promise of peace and freedom.
They met and married and settled in Louisville. They worked hard, but tough economic times kept them from achieving their dream of owning a home. Now that dream has come true, thanks to Habitat for Humanity, which partnered with the Governor’s Scholars Program of Kentucky to build a house for Omar, Ubah and their family.
“I heard about Habitat from an aunt,” Ubah said. “I saw her house, and I liked it. And it’s better for my kids too.”
Little did she realize how long and how difficult it would be to make that dream come true.
First came the preapplication. Thousands of preapplications are completed annually at Habitat and then screened by the Family Services Coordinator for outstanding debt. About 1,000 of them are sent to Habitat for the full application. Once that six-page document is filled out and verified, only 100 families will advance to the interview.
“We turned in our application January 30th. A week later we got a letter saying we approved for interview,” Ubah said. During the interview, families meet with the Family Services Coordinator to review all the submitted documents.
Jackie Isaacs, Family Services Coordinator of Louisville, said the interview process includes going through the documents with a fine-tooth comb, informing the family about the process, and giving them a chance to ask questions.”
    The Family Service Coordinator then meets with the family and informs them about the building process, sweat equity, and the cost of the house.
    If the applicants qualify and agree to the conditions, their file is sent to the Family Selection Committee for a vote. Of the original 1,000 applications, only 30 are approved each year.
    And of course, Omar and Ubah made the cut.
“Oh my gosh! I was so happy,” Ubah said “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh! Is it true?’”
Habitat encourages new families to start the program immediately. There is much to be done before even one nail is hammered.

The GSP Habitat house completed in four weeks.

“They have to go through budget classes, home maintenance classes, (and) neighborhood classes,” said Chuck Sgro, volunteer team leader at the family’s construction site.
After about three weeks of class, the family has the opportunity to pick among three plots of land to build on, and that can be a hard decision.
“The family is kind of pressured to pick one of the three plots of land. If they turn down all three, they return to the bottom of the list,” Sgro said.
Once the land is chosen, Habitat begins building the house. Each family is required to put in 400 “sweat equity” hours, working on their house and on other Habitat projects.
“Omar and I were so excited to start building,” Ubah said. “By March, we started doing sweat equity hours on other Habitat projects. We did 100 sweat equity hours in one week.” Ubah and Omar far surpassed the 400 required sweat equity hours.
Most Habitat houses are built by 40 volunteers, and the process takes about three months. Omar and Ubah didn’t know it when they applied, but their home was going to special. Habitat had partnered with Kentucky’s Governor’s Scholars program to allow 360 upcoming high school seniors to work on the house. The house would be completed while the scholars were attending the program for five weeks at Bellarmine University.
The work was done in a record-setting four weeks, and Omar and Ubah’s Habitat experience was truly unique. While putting in the “sweat equity” on their house, they were surrounded by dozens of equally sweaty teens – new friends that they would never forget and who would never forget them.

A Heart as Big as His Beard
By Dabney Crawford
Fleming County High School

The sun bears down on a Habitat for Humanity worksite during one of the hottest summers on record in Louisville. Red dust kicks up from the bare ground and the banging of hammers on nails drowns out all but the most strident of shouts as dozens of volunteers work together.
In all this mayhem, one figure seems to stand out in the crowd. Saw in hand, bent over his work with a gray, saw dusted beard reaching down toward his belly and an old wooden pipe clenched between his teeth. They call him George, and all the 360 high-school students who worked at the site as part of the Governor’s Scholars Program will remember him.
The scholars were there as part of a first-ever partnership of Habitat, which builds home for deserving families, and Governor’s Scholars, which offers a five-week course for top Kentucky high school students that includes academics and public service. The course often changes the students’ perspectives.
George Hofmann might be a case in point. At first glance, most George looks intimidating, maybe even scary, but when people get to know him, it’s a complete turnaround. Scholars describe him as “patient,” “resourceful” and “a good Christian.”
    “At first, I was scared of him because of his long beard, but then after a while he was nice and very helpful, said scholar Sydney Abrams from Henry County High School. “George helped me cut the wood for the kitchen cabinets. I’d never cut wood before and he was a great instructor.”
    George has been growing that intimidating beard for the past thirty-two years, and it now extends to his chest. Scholars joked that when he finished cutting a piece of wood that his beard would be full of sawdust.
He will take off his hat exposing a bald head, and laugh, saying the hair “just keeps sliding down” to his beard.
George has been working with Habitat for Humanity for the past seven years. His journey started when his church sponsored a house. After completing that house he asked Chuck Sgro, the Habitat team leader on site if he could continue working on “Chuck’s Team,” and he has been ever since. 
“It keeps me out of the bars.” George jokes.
Chuck has a similar story about getting involved with Habitat. His wife asked him to fill in for her one day and help with a Habitat home as part of a church project. He has been a volunteer ever since. Chuck has this to say about George:
    “Well he’s a little old curmudgeon. He is bright and intelligent. He always says, ‘This is the way grandpa would do it....’

George Hofmann on the Habitat site.

Wise scholars take his advice to heart. In the past, George worked in a metal shop as a project manager. He is now retired for 15 years but still dedicates three days a week to Habitat for Humanity. He estimates that he has helped build between 50 and 60 houses in the last seven years. His favorite part of building each house is “raise the roof.”
    “It’s like there is nothing there one minute and then the shape of the house is there the next minute.” he said.
George says he does whatever Chuck tells him to do, but he mainly cuts all the wood for the house and lays out the walls.  He is there from the beginning to the end of each build, helping guide other volunteers and getting to know the family.
    “If you ask him to do anything, you can be sure he will complete the job,” Chuck said. “I couldn’t complete a job without him. George has a heart as big as a house.”