LEXINGTON, Ky. — Students from Lexington's Carter G. Woodson Academy took over city council chambers to learn the ins and outs of local government as part of the second-annual Youth in Government Day, led by Councilwoman Denise Gray (District 6). 

What You Need To Know

  • Lexington students spent Friday getting to know the makings of their local government 

  • Students from Carter G. Woodson Academy got firsthand experience as part of the second Youth in Government Day 

  • Councilwoman Denise Gray (District 6) organized the event 

  • The hope is the event inspires the next generation of leadership, she said

Gray was joined by councilmembers Shayla Lynch, Amy Beasley and other leaders in various departments around city hall. She said they want to show students what it means to lead and introduce them to careers in local government that need more people.

“They've also had an opportunity to learn about the different career opportunities for them that they didn't know about, such as urban planning," Gray said. "Right now, we have a low number of African Americans and people of color, even who are not going into the field because they didn't know this was an opportunity." 

The hope is the event inspires the next generation of leaders, Gray said. 

She said she believes this event will inspire the next generation to lead.

“They will be taking over after ... in a few years, and I want to make sure that they're ready to take the lead,” Gray said.

Seventh-grade student Aiden Barnes said he left the council chambers feeling motivated.

“[I] got to see where the big money stuff happens ... and it was just really cool,” Barnes said.

Part of Fayette County Public Schools, Carter G. Woodson Academy is an all-boys sixth through 12th grade science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) school that offers leadership pathways for students to be “civically engaged and culturally responsive."