Twelve public high school students have been named as new members of the 2025-2026 Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council, joining nine returning members.
Established to gather student feedback on critical issues impacting students and schools, the council connects Kentucky students with Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) staff to develop ideas to strengthen student voice and transform education.
The group meets regularly with Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher, both in person and virtually, to discuss how decisions made at the state level are affecting students throughout Kentucky.
The newly selected members will serve for the 2025-2026 school year and, if eligible, will have the option to serve again in the fall of 2026.
The new members, listed with their current grades and high school, include:
• Lacey Paige, 12th grade, Christian County High School
• Lillian Ruth Darr, 12th grade, Muhlenberg County High School
• Patrick Bogdan Graboviy, 12th grade, North Oldham County High School (Oldham County)
• Hadley Nicolas, 12th grade, Martha Layne Collins High School (Shelby County)
• Abigail “Abby” Ladwig, 12th grade, Owensboro High School (Owensboro Independent)
• Tejas Basneth, 11th grade, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Fayette County)
• Charlie Kinkade, 11th grade, Danville High School (Danville Independent)
• Sophie Johnston, 11th grade, Morgan County High School
• Tara Rakesh, 11th grade, Randall K. Cooper High School (Boone County)
• Delanie Crump, 10th grade, Boyd County High School
• Vivian Fox, 10th grade, Elizabethtown High School (Elizabethtown Independent)
• Prisha Shah, 10th grade, Ryle High School (Boone County)
The returning members, listed with their current grades and high schools, include:
• Daniel Ratley, 12th grade, Grayson County High School
• Graham Borden, 12th grade, Highlands High School (Fort Thomas Independent)
• Luisa Sanchez-Almenarez, 12th grade, Boyle County High School
• Manas Garla, 12th grade, Western Hills High School (Franklin County)
• Sophia Langford, 12th grade, J. Graham Brown School (Jefferson County)
• Gabriella MacAdams, 12th grade, Williamstown Senior High School (Williamstown Independent)
• Preston Graham, 12th grade, Woodford County School High School
• Aliete Yanes Medina, 12th grade, Fern Creek High School (Jefferson County)
• Ani Dundee Taliah Cockerham-O’Donnell, 11th grade, Kentucky School for the Deaf
Nearly 60 students applied for a spot on the advisory council this year.
Membership consists of positions from each of the Kentucky Supreme Court districts; one student from the Kentucky School for the Deaf; and student members enrolled in career and technical education pathways. Additional information about the council is available on the KDE Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council website.
Kentucky Department of Education