(FRANKFORT, KY) – Eleven Kentucky public high school students have been named to the Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council, a group that provides input to Kentucky Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis.

The newly selected members will serve the remainder of the school year. Sophomores and juniors will have the opportunity to serve again in Fall 2020. The new members include:

  • Nicole Arnett, 12th grade, Kentucky School for the Blind
  • Madelyn Blankenship – 10th Grade, Pulaski County High School
  • Sarah Davenport – 12th grade, Fleming County High School
  • Reece Dicken – 11th grade, Barren County High School
  • Rohin Dutt – 10th grade, duPont Manual High School (Jefferson County)
  • Renuka Gentela – 11th grade, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Fayette County)
  • Elizabeth Holcomb – 11th grade, Kentucky School for the Deaf
  • Solyana Mesfin – 10th grade, Eastern High School (Jefferson County)
  • Madison Ortega – 12th grade, Rowan County Senior High School
  • Lauren Shackelford – 11th grade, Corbin High School (Corbin Independent)
  • Samuel Smith – 10th grade, Daviess County High School

The 11 new members join 11 returning members, including:

  • Mi’Keyla Crumble – 11th grade, Hickman County High School
  • Joshua Griffith – 12th grade, Russell High School (Russell Independent)
  • Laila Hayes – 11th grade, duPont Manual High School (Jefferson County)
  • Michael Johnson – 12th grade, Marshall County High School
  • Ying Lin – 11th grade, Bardstown High School (Bardstown Independent)
  • Katelynn Perkins – 12th grade, Glasgow High School (Glasgow Independent)
  • Anastasia Pohlgeers – 12th grade, Campbell County High School
  • Caleb Spencer – 12th grade, Wolfe County High School
  • Parker Stobaugh – 12th grade, South Warren High School (Warren County)
  • Lauren Witt – 12th grade, Glasgow High School (Glasgow Independent)
  • Luke Wyatt – 12th grade, Marshall County High School

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.