Harlan County High School’s Ally Alred has been selected to participate in the High School Student Congress to be held in Lexington in June. The program is offered through the Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship in partnership with the University of Kentucky, Marymount University and Transylvania University.

The High School Student Congress brings together 50 students from across Kentucky and the nation to learn about and develop solutions to current complex political issues. Students engage with peers from diverse backgrounds and are challenged to listen to those who have different beliefs than their own, to identify common ground and shared goals, to collaborate on areas of mutual benefit, to build relationships based on personal interactions and to learn the art of cooperation from partisan positions.

Alred, 16, is a junior and has earned a 4.0 grade point average. She is a six-year member of the cheerleading team where she earned recognition as both an NCA and UCA All American Cheerleader. She is a member of the tennis team. Alred was a Rogers Explorer and Hugh O’Bryan Leadership (HOBY) Ambassador, as well as, a participant in the 2017 Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute.

She is a member of the Student Advisory Council, Gifted and Talented Leadership, Educational Talent Search, Gear Up, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Beta Club, DECA Club, FBLA, and is a First Priority leader. Ally served as a legislative page this fall for Representative Jason Nemes in Frankfort.

Alred is a member of the Harlan Christian Church. She participates in numerous community service activities and pageants across the state. She will compete in June for the title of Miss Kentucky’s Outstanding Teen. She plans to attend the University of Kentucky or the University of Tennessee and double major in political science and forensics while pursuing a law degree.

She is the daughter of Russell and Whitney Alred, of Harlan.