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Staff Report

Five hundred thirty-two outstanding leaders from 54 high schools in central Kentucky are being recognized in this year’s Youth Salute, including East and West Jessamine high schools. The Journal will feature a student chosen from each high school for the next few weeks. This week’s students are Skyler Brumley from East Jessamine and Mary Hodge from West Jessamine.

Skyler Brumley is an EJHS junior house leader, a Health Occupations Students of America member, and has made the A/B honor roll. She is heavily involved in 4-H, serving as the C1-C4 2022-23 Teen Council president and the Jessamine County Teen Council vice president. Brumley has been a delegate to the Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference and a captain in recreation league softball.

In the future, Brumley hopes to pursue a nursing degree to become a midwife.

Mary Hodge is an accomplished athlete for the Lady Colts. She is the varsity golf team captain, has qualified for the state championship competition and has been a member of two region championship teams. Hodge is a member of the three-time defending regional champion soccer team and has been a part of regional champion track, where she was part of a state title winner, and swim teams. She is also a member of the Jessamine Striders indoor track team.

Hodge is a member of the Y-Club, National Honor Society, Dance Blue committee and the Rho Kappa Nation Social Studies Honor Society in addition to making the all-A honor roll.

The Central Kentucky Council on Youth Leadership was formed in 1980 to conduct the Youth Salute in nearby counties in cooperation with the National Council on Youth Leadership, a non-profit organization. Students were nominated by teachers, guidance counselors and principals for this year’s Youth Salute. In order to qualify, the student had to be a junior (senior class of 2024), have a 3.0 GPA or better and have held at least two leadership roles to which they were chosen by their peers or an adult leader within the past two years in school, religious or community sponsored organizations.