JA LLYP Taps Juniors for 2026-27 Session

Junior Achievement’s Leadership Lexington Youth Program (JA LLYP) is designed to nurture the next generation of community leaders through hands-on experiences, leadership development, and connection to our community and business officials. For the Class of 2027, nearly four dozen high school juniors were selected from a strong pool of applicants, including 31 from Fayette County Public Schools and 13 from private schools. Congratulations to all!

From Bryan Station High School

• Elana Fereday
• Peter Grant
• Summer Kern
• Arteago Tovar
• Victoria Tovar
• Caroline Yowell

Carter G. Woodson Academy

• Braylon Chinn
• Kyeen Johnson

Frederick Douglass High School

• Laila Hudspeth

Henry Clay High School

• Emma Denning
• Isaac Genovese
• Hannah Grimm
• Margaret Hill
• Stella Hopper
• Harper McGee
• Jaye Minner
• William Sparks
• Tad Swan

Lafayette High School

• Andrew Bull
• Oludare Falade
• Stella Gooch
• Nathan Greene
• Ian Ketron
• Lukas Matson
• Rui Nakane
• Leigh Wright

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School 

• Ava Martha
• Elisabeth Otipoby

STEAM Academy 

• Addyson Smith 

Tates Creek High School 

• Nevaeh Agyei-Asante
• Marisa Pugley 

After orientation in early September, the participants will gather one Wednesday a month to explore specific areas such as Local Lexington, Health & Human Services, Government & Public Safety, Arts & Media, Ambassador for Change, and Higher Education & Career Development. The program culminates with a graduation luncheon in April.

“LLYP gave me the opportunity to grow with other like-minded individuals. The experience meant so much — it gave me new ideas of how to improve my community and the world around me, as well as how to encourage others in their growth and goals of changing the world,” said Grace Wilson, now a senior at the STEAM Academy and recipient of last year’s Outstanding Student Leader award. 

The program is coordinated by Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass. For questions, please call (859) 219-2423.