EDMONTON, Ky. — A longtime Metcalfe County educator known for her dedication to students and community has been honored as the 2026 Educator Idol at the 29th Annual Senior Celebrity Banquet.

Kaye Janes Hope was recognized for a career that began in the classroom and extended far beyond it. The daughter of Tom B. and Virgina Janes, Hope followed in her mother’s footsteps.

Virgina Janes was an educator in the Metcalfe County School System and the 2002 recipient of the Jim C. Coleman Community Service Award, according to the Edmonton-Metcalfe County Chamber of Commerce.

Hope graduated from Metcalfe County High School in 1970 and went on to attend Georgetown College and the University of Kentucky before earning her degree in elementary education from Western Kentucky University. She later obtained her master’s degree from WKU.

She began her career as a substitute teacher and was hired full-time in 1974 to teach fourth grade at Summer Shade Elementary, where she spent 20 years.

During that time, she was active in activities and clubs, including sports, 4-H, fall festivals and numerous community events.

“During Kaye’s years in the classroom, she encouraged her students to excel in all subjects, to respect their teachers and peers and stressed the importance of being a good citizen,” a news release said.

Following school consolidation, Hope taught eighth grade at the middle school before later working as a vocational counselor with Vocational Rehabilitation. She retired in 2001.

Her time in education also included moments of hardship within the community.

“She was teaching when the gas explosion happened in Beaumont,” the release said. “The community lost friends and family and Summer Shade lost a student. Kaye and her fellow staff members were available to help those grieving.”

Even in retirement, Hope has remained active in the community.

She is dedicated to her church, a member of the Retired Teachers Association and continues to support local charities and fundraisers. The release also described her as a “faithful friend, devoted family member, and loving grandmother.”

Hope was introduced at the banquet by former student Martha Bragg. She attended alongside her husband, Rick Hope, and sister-in-law, Bonnie Froggett.

Organizers called her a “well-deserved recipient of the 2026 Educator Idol Award.”