(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – Sixteen Kentucky public high school students have been named to the Commissioner’s Student Council, a group that provides input to Kentucky Commissioner of Education Stephen Pruitt.

The newly-selected members will serve at least one year. They include:

  • Gregory Coleman – 12th grade, The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics/Phelps High School, Pike Co.
  • Elijah Cooper – 11th grade, Daviess County High School
  • Devin Davis – 10th grade, Scott County High School
  • Laura Duke – 10th grade, iLEAD Academy/Owen County High School
  • Matthew Hylton – 12th grade, The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics/Morgan County High School
  • Lillian Lester ­– 11th grade, Frederick Fraize High School, Cloverport Independent
  • Shane Lowe ­– 11th grade, Kentucky School for the Blind/Central High School, Jefferson County
  • Katie Mitchell – 12th grade, Madison Central High School/Madison County Area Technology Center, Madison County
  • Sahar Mohammadzadeh – 11th grade, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Fayette County
  • Brenden Quirk – 10th grade, Eastern High School, Jefferson County
  • Nia Ralston – 12th grade, Kentucky School for the Deaf
  • Katherine Renick – 12th grade, Murray High School, Murray Independent
  • Carson Sims – 10th grade, Graves County High School
  • Heyna Suit – 11th grade, Fleming County High School
  • Allison Tu – 10th grade, duPont Manual High School, Jefferson County
  • Joselin Vicencio ­– 11th grade, Nelson County High School

The 16 new members join seven returning members:

  • Amrit Avula – 11th grade, Bowling Green High School, Bowling Green Independent
  • Grayson Ford – 12th grade, Trigg County High School
  • Roop Patel – 12th grade, Beechwood High School, Beechwood Independent
  • Thomas Patrick – 11th grade, Magoffin County High School
  • Kaeli Riggs – 11th grade, Seneca High School, Jefferson County
  • Wesley Wei – 12th grade, Boyle County High School
  • Lauren Williams – 11th grade, Taylor County High School

The group will meet in Frankfort on Oct. 27. The purpose of the council is to provide valuable feedback from Kentucky students and to engage student leaders in learning by doing. This group will meet with the commissioner and Kentucky Department of Education staff to discuss how decisions made at the state level are affecting public school students throughout Kentucky and provide feedback – from a student perspective – on critical issues impacting Kentucky students and schools.