ASHLAND, Ky. — Ashland Community and Technical College’s (ACTC) Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society chapter and the ACTC Library are pleased to partner together to present “Songs of Highway 23,” a video presentation about The Country Music Highway.

ACTC students will present their research journey for the PTK “Honors in Action” project about the local community’s perception of Country Music Highway and how music impacts the culture of eastern Kentucky.

A special music performance by ACTC and PTK student Julie Davis is also included.

The video will premiere 6 p.m. on Tuesday on the ACTC Library Facebook page.

As a part of the grant, there will also be a visual display called “Songs of Highway 23.”

The display consists of 11 posters researched and written by ACTC PTK members summarizing the life and times of some of the most prominent members of Country Music Highway 23, from Loretta Lynn to Chris Stapleton.

This visual display is open to ACTC students, faculty, staff and the community during the library’s operating hours at College Drive and Technology Drive locations.

The visual display will be available for viewing throughout the Spring 2022 semester.

“The students of the ACTC Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapter have been passionately engaged in this project from the beginning, working diligently over the entire year of 2021. On top of their school, work, and home commitments, they all still made time to come together to do research, take field trips and write reports to make this Honors in Action project come to life,” said Janet Thompson, PTK advisor. “Our goal with this project is to remind our community why music and the arts is the backbone of our culture in eastern Kentucky.”

This project was made possible by a $1,000 Honors in Action grant.

Honors in Action (HIA) combines academic research, problem solving and action-oriented service to address real-world challenges in our communities. Students gain job-related experience while creating lasting impacts in their communities as they engage in HIA.

Julie Reeves Davis is a recording artist in the country music industry and former host of the DAWG radio station.

Originally from Ashland, Davis has found success in Nashville and through her debut album “It’s About Time.”  She returned to her hometown to raise her family and currently performs locally with her husband, Chris Davis.

She is also a current ACTC student in the Surgical Technology program, and a member of the ACTC Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.