At the age of 8, J.P. Blevins had a dream that he would someday play basketball on the court of historic Rupp Arena for the University of Kentucky.

Blevins accomplished that dream, playing four years of basketball as a Wildcat. This week, he told participants at The Center for Rural Development’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (ELI) summer youth camp that they can do anything they set their minds to if they set goals and strive to achieve them.

“Have a dream,” Blevins encouraged ELI participants, “and be willing to go after it with every bit of your heart and soul.”

Participants in ELI receive intensive entrepreneurial training and build leadership skills in the week-long camp at The Center that will allow them to become the region’s future business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Blevins, now a motivational speaker and entrepreneur himself, said hard work and determination helped him make good on his basketball aspirations.

“Growing up in a small, Southcentral Kentucky town, most people told me I was chasing an impossible dream,” Blevins recalled. “Standing only 6-foot-1 and possessing only average athletic ability is not exactly the formula for earning a scholarship to the winningest college basketball program in history.”

Focused on his goal, Blevins did not let people, places, body size or lack of experience stand in his way. The Metcalfe County High School graduate finally realized his childhood dream in 1998 when he earned a spot as a men’s basketball Wildcat under former head coach Orlando “Tubby” Smith.

While he excelled on the basketball court and graduated with honors from the University of Kentucky, Blevins said his learning of the principles of success—setting goals and working hard to accomplish those goals—was his greatest reward.

Since graduating from college in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in communications, Blevins has a new goal in life: to inspire and motive Kentucky’s youth to follow their dreams with passion, commitment, and a strong work ethic.

Blevins founded the “Get the Edge Basketball Instruction Camp” in 2005 to provide basketball instruction, resources, and leadership tools to aid young athletes in reaching their fullest potential. A short time later, he started “In Pursuit,” a program that shares success principles with Kentucky’s youth and delivers a message of hope, possibility, and inspiration.

“Positive role models and hearing inspirational messages at an early age instilled in me the confidence I needed to help me fulfill my lifelong dream,” Blevins said. “Playing basketball for the University of Kentucky has now given me the opportunity to return the favor and serve as a positive role model in the lives of students across the Commonwealth.”

Sixteen-year-old Chris Stotts, who plans to open his own business someday, said Blevins’ message inspired him to go for his dreams.

“J.P. helped me realize I needed to dream big and use my skills to benefit my business,” Stotts said.

Wildcat fan Jarrod Wesley, 16, of Somerset said simply meeting Blevins inspired and motivated him.

“Just seeing how he turned out has inspired me,” Wesley said.

Thirty-one students from across Southern and Eastern Kentucky were selected to attend the 2009 summer session of ELI held June 14-19 at The Center’s headquarters in Somerset. During the week, students worked in teams to develop a business plan and presented their proposals before a panel of judges in the “Business Concept Competition” on the final day of the session.

Members of the first-place business concept team are eligible to receive a Presidential Scholarship from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in Richmond. The winning team also will be recognized at the 2009 Excellence In Entrepreneurship Awards (EIEA) program this fall at The Center.

ELI inspires students to be creative thinkers, work as a team, and develop skills that will allow them to become the region’s next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs.

The Center for Rural Development—the Center of Excellence for rural Kentucky and the nation—provides economic and community development programs to residents in a 42-county primary service area of Southern and Eastern Kentucky, and is home to several statewide and national technology-based programs. For more information on programs available through The Center, visit www.centertech.com.

Photo Caption 1: Entrepreneur, motivational speaker and former UK basketball Wildcat J.P. Blevins encouraged high school students from across Southern and Eastern Kentucky—including 14 students from Pulaski County—to set goals, work hard, and follow their dreams. Blevins was invited to speak at The Center for Rural Development’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (ELI) summer youth camp held June 14-19 in Somerset. Blevins said he realized his childhood dream in 1998 when he earned a spot as a men’s basketball Wildcat under former head coach Orlando “Tubby” Smith.

Photo Caption 2: Entrepreneur, motivational speaker and former UK basketball Wildcat J.P. Blevins encouraged high school students from across Southern and Eastern Kentucky—including 14 students from Pulaski County—to set goals, work hard, and follow their dreams. Blevins was invited to speak at The Center for Rural Development’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (ELI) summer youth camp held June 14-19 in Somerset. Blevins said he realized his childhood dream in 1998 when he earned a spot as a men’s basketball Wildcat under former head coach Orlando “Tubby” Smith.