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Congratulations to Harlan County High School students Amelia Colinger, Shania Middleton, Bradley Brock, Brianna Wilms and Xavier Cornett on their selection to and participation in the Appalachian Youth Leadership Summit (AYLS) held this week at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN.

Sponsored by the Partners for Rural Impact (PRI), the summit was for passionate 10th and 11th-grade students from the 42 Kentucky school districts served by the Appalachian Cradle to Career Partnership, along with Claiborne County, TN and Lee County, VA.

The conference allowed students to embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth while connecting with fellow student leaders and scholars.

These included community service projects, workshops, keynote events in the evenings, exhibitions, mentorship and much more.

Students explored topics like leadership development, arts and cultural engagement, college readiness, and discipline-specific areas such as health sciences, business, education, veterinary medicine, law, and more.

During the challenge exhibition, tackled real-world challenges facing their communities, proposed solutions and showcased their team’s work at a community-wide celebration.