Student Advisory Council

Student Advisory Council

Published: 10/26/2024 12:12 AM

​​​​​​​​​​commissioners student advisory council members​​

2024-2025 Commissioner's Student Advisory Council Members 

The following high school students are members of the Commissioner's Student Advisory Council.​​​​

Peter Jefferson

​​​Peter Jefferson, Council Chair

Henry Clay High School (Fayette County)​​​

Peter Jefferson, a senior at Henry Clay High School, volunteers at a community garden six months out of the year. He has served as a student conference leader of his school's Model United Nations Team.

Bentley White Picture 

Daniel Ratley, Council Vice Chair
Grayson County High School
Daniel Ratley, a junior at Grayson County High School, is in the business and marketing career and technical pathway program. Ratley was selected as one of two YMCA Youth Advocates for Kentucky. He is involved in sports, orchestra and the Youth Advisory Board for college911.net.​

Lisa AbrampahLisa Abrampah
Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics at Morehead State University/Frederick Douglass High School
Lisa Abrampah, a senior at Craft Academy, served as president of the Frederick Douglass High School's Culture Club. She is a member of the Beta Club, Tri-M Music Honor Society and National Honor Society. Abrampah was named a Craft Academy President's Scholar and earned the 2023 Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar award. 

mary_beth_bolen
Mary Beth Bolen

Paul G. Blazer High School (Ashland Independent)
Mary Beth Bolen, a senior at Paul G. Blazer High School, is active in the Beta Club, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), Key Club and Pep Club. She is also a member of the varsity soccer and basketball teams and was a part of the Kentucky Olympic Development Team. She is part of the Boyd and Greenup counties' youth leadership program and Girls in Sports Leadership Academy.​
graham_borden
Graham Borden

Highlands High School (Fort Thomas Independent)
Graham Borden, a junior at Highlands High School, is part of several clubs including FIRST Robotics, mock trial, Model United Nations, Korean Club, Spanish Club, Envirothon and Green Club. He is also a member of the Math and Spanish national honor societies. He participates in the Superintendent Student Advisory Council and volunteers with May We Help and the World in Us.
ari_cockerham Ani Cockerham-O'Donnell

Kentucky School for the Deaf

Ani Cockerham-O'Donnell, a sophomore at the Kentucky School for the Deaf, is completing coursework in the Future Farmers of America career and technical education pathway and is interested in becoming a lawyer. She is an advocate for broadening food options and expanding career-oriented skills and classes available to high school students.

isabella_edghillIsabella Edghill
duPont Manual High School (Jefferson County)
Isabella Edghill, a senior at duPont Manual High school, is part of the Kentucky Student Voice Team, Manual RedEye, National Honor Society. She also is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Edghill participates in the Louisville Youth Orchestra.
anji_fox Aniji Fox
Mayfield High School (Mayfield Independent)
Aniji Fox, a senior at Mayfield High School, served as president of the junior class and Key Club. She is a cheerleader and member of several school organizations including the Future Business Leaders of America, Beta Club, student council, gifted and talented programs, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Pure Cardinals and the pep club.
Manas Garla
Manas Garla

Western Hills High School (Franklin County)
Manas Garla, a junior at Western Hills High School, is an active participant in his school's concert and marching bands, the academic team and science clubs. Garla volunteers at the Frankfort Regional Medical Center and the Kentucky Historical Society.

Preston Graham

Preston Graham
Woodford County High School
Preston Graham, a junior at Woodford County High School, is serving a one-year term as a non-voting Kentucky Board of Education member. He is actively involved in varsity swimming for athletics, volunteers within the community by tutoring students through a local nonprofit and has served in leadership positions within his school as a graduate of the Woodford Leadership Tomorrow program, along with officer positions in several different clubs.

Samarah Higgins

Samarah Higgins
John Hardin High School (Hardin County)
Samarah Higgins, a senior at John Hardin High School, is local and regional president for DECA. She also is a founding member and current president of her school's Educator Rising chapter.bs. Garla volunteers at the Frankfort Regional Medical Center and the Kentucky Historical Society.​

Honette IrakizaHonette Irakiza

South Warren High School (Warren County)

Honette Irakiza, a senior at South Warren High School, is a member of her school's Students Ambassadors and is former co-vice president of the Beta Club. She is a Rwandan immigrant and serves her community through the Foundation for Connecting Communities, a nonprofit organization founded by her parents.

Allen Kalambayi
Allen Kalambayi

Owensboro High School (Owensboro Independent)
Allan Kalambayi, a senior at Owensboro High School, is a member of his school's National Honor Society, academic team and cross-country team. As an Americorps Peer Leader, he assists the school counseling department with orientation for new students and mentors and tutors younger classmates. He is a member of the school's student council.
Sophia Langford
Sophia Langford
J. Graham Brown School (Jefferson County)
Sophia Langford, a junior at J. Graham Brown High School, graduated from the Louisville FBI Teen Academy, is heavily involved in theater and the Beta Club, and holds a brown belt in taekwondo.

Gabriella MacAdams

Gabriella MacAdams
Williamstown Independent High School
Gabriella MacAdams, a junior at Williamstown Independent High School, is pursuing studies in the aerospace career and technical pathway program. She is a member of the school's Furthering Future Students club, art honor society, and the academic, golf and recreational tennis teams.

Tanvi Rakesh

Tanvi Rakesh
 Randall K. Cooper High School (Boone County)
Tanvi Rakesh, a senior at Randall K. Cooper High School, advocates for student voice as a member of the Boone County Superintendent's Student Advisory Council and through her work with the Giving Tree, a non-profit organization she co-founded.

Luisa Sanchez Almenarez

Luisa Sanchez-Almenarez
Boyle County High School
Luisa Sanchez-Almenarez, a junior at Boyle County High School, is the founder of the Diversity Student Union at her school and is part of the theater program, press corps and creative writing club. She is member of the academic team and National Honor Society, took part in the Rose Revival campaign and has her own literature blog called “Lit Talks by Lu."

Abby Abigail Sears

Abigail Sears

Danville High School (Danville Independent)
Abigail Sears, a senior at Danville High School, is a writer for the “Danville Review" and “Boyle County Neighbors Magazine." She also serves as poetry director for her school's literary magazine and is president of the Senate for the Kentucky Youth Assembly.​

Sophia Staples

Sophia Staples
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Fayette County)
Sophia Staples, a senior at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, pursues coursework in the music career and technical pathway program. She is heavily involved in Science, Technology, Mathematics and Science (STEM) initiatives at her school and said she aspires to be an astrophysicist.

Khoa Ta

Khoa Ta

Owensboro High School (Owensboro Independent)
Khoa Ta, a junior at Owensboro High School (OHS), served as the sophomore student voice representative in student government and is the leader of the school's student advisory council. Ta also is a policy, journalist and research member of the Kentucky Student Voice Team, the founder of Global Learn Outreach and the media lead/director of the OHS and Daviess County Young Democrats.

Austin Eric Vitato Austin Eric Vitato

J. Graham Brown High School (Jefferson County)
Austin Vitato, a junior at J. Graham Brown High School, is pursuing studies in the travel and tourism career and technical pathway program. Vitato volunteers for the Special Olympics, serves at a homeless shelter and participates in the Kentucky Student Voice Team journalism cohort.
Carly Watts

Carley Watts
Hazard High School (Hazard Independent)
Carley Watts, a junior at Hazard High School, was elected as a youth correspondent for the Envision Hazard board. She also worked to aid victims impacted by the July 2022 floods in Eastern Kentucky.



Aliete Yanes Medina

Aliete Yanes Medina
Fern Creek High School (Jefferson County)
Aliete Yanes Medina, a junior at Fern Creek High School, studies digital literacy. She is involved in Future Business Leaders of America and the schools' Educators Rising organization.
india_young India Young

Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics at Morehead State University/Marion County High School

India Young, a senior at the Craft Academy at Morehead State University/Marion County High School, serves on her school's student council and as treasurer of the school's service-based club. She also is an active member of the local National Beta Club.







. ​

















​Awards and Recognition Programs
Office of the Commissioner
Division of Communications 
300 Sower Boulevard
(502) 564-2000 

KentuckyTOY@education.ky.gov

​​

  • Normal Font Size