SOMERSET – Rockcastle County Middle School has been named the 2009 UNITE Middle School Club of the Year for the Cumberland region.

The UNITE Excellence Award was presented during the second of three regional Operation UNITE “Piercing the Darkness of Drugs” Youth Summits held Wednesday, Sept. 16, in Somerset.

Rockcastle County Middle was one of the 34 original UNITE Clubs during the 2005-06 school year and has benefitted from an amazing group of students who had previously been involved at the elementary school.

Under the leadership of sponsors Lesha Cromer, Regina Burton and Kim Hunter, the club participated in the high school’s “Wipe Out Drugs” toilet paper challenge during the high school UNITE Bowl, held an anti-drug youth concert, and conducted many school spirit activities with anti-drug themes during Red Ribbon Week.

Club members joined the community’s March and Rally event and performed a skit during the Rockcastle County UNITE Coalition’s annual Appreciation Dinner and Community Awareness Celebration.

A holiday food drive conducted by the club exceeded their goal by 300 percent.

Club members also helped promote the first UNITE “Tackling Drugs Football Camp” with former pro and UK stars Craig Yeast and Tim Couch.