$90,000 in scholarships and awards presented to Youth Salute students

Lafayette High School junior Virginia Newsome, and Montgomery County High School junior Olivia Colliver were named Youth Leaders of the Year during awards ceremonies May 6 at Georgetown College.

Virginia, daughter of Brad and Laura Newsome of Lexington, was named Lexington's 2012 Youth Leader of the Year. Olivia, daughter of Mike and Sherrie Colliver of Montgomery County, was named 2012 Central Kentucky Youth Leader of the Year.

Each received a $500 scholarship and an all-expenses paid trip, sponsored by Holifield Photography, to attend the National Council on Youth Leadership conference at Washington University in St. Louis.

Virginia has served as Lafayette Ambassador to the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership program. She is founder and CEO of heARTS for the Arts Inc., a non-profit organization that relies heavily on social media to collect needed art supplies.

She is a member of the Beta Club, French Club, Lafayette Drama, Leadership Lexington, Starlight Singers and Christ Church.

Olivia has served as team captain for the Montgomery County High School varsity basketball team. She is the founder of the Hope Love & Livi hunger campaign and she is a member of Future Business Leaders of America.

Four additional students were named winners of the all-expenses paid trip to attend the National Council on Youth Leadership Conference. They will join other Youth Salute leaders from across the nation at a four-day event, Oct. 20-23, and will compete for national awards.

The four are Nolan Keith Sanders, Lincoln County; Logan Adam Lynn II, Christian Academy of Lawrenceburg; Jonathan Kinnicutt, Trinity Christian Academy; and Abby Witt, Estill County.

Individual school winners, from among 742 outstanding high school juniors, from 55 Central Kentucky high schools were recognized at the 32nd annual Youth Salute awards ceremony.

The top school winners are: Anna-Marie Hyatt, Anderson County; Caleb M. Johnson, Bath County; Jonathan Smith, Berea Community; Kristen Shearer, Bourbon County; Riley Stallings, Boyle County; Shaleigha Richard, Bryan Station; Logan Adams Lynn II, Christian Academy of Lawrenceburg; Emma Breitenbach, Danville; Samantha Hearn, East Jessamine; Abby Witt, Estill County; Lauren Taylor, Franklin County; Jacob Ayres, Garrard County; Dalton Gallenstein, George Rogers Clark; Jenna Catherine Nunnelley, Harrison County; Lenna Hamilton Wilson, Henry Clay; Samantha Fowler, Kentucky School for the Deaf; Virginia Newsome, Lafayette; Sarah Morgan Hutchinson, Lexington Catholic; Sloan Gilbert, Lexington Christian Academy; Nolan Keith Sanders, Lincoln County; Mackenzie Brooke Humphrey, Madison Central; Kaitlyn Tompkins, Madison Southern; Tyler Sorrell, Menifee County; Rachel Constance Casey, Mercer County; Chidinma Hannah Nnoromele, Model Lab; Olivia Colliver, Montgomery County; Shelby Wade, Nicholas County; Benjamin Allen, Owen County; Cassondra Tucker, Paris; Trina Thomas, Paul Laurence Dunbar; Chelsea Nolan, Powell County; Aaron Hall, Pulaski County; Garrett Cline, Scott County; Nia Johnson, Tates Creek; Jonathan Kinnicutt, Trinity Christian Academy; Amy Gatliff, West Jessamine; Jaylynn Hill, Western Hills; and Grant Sparks, Woodford County.

Asbury University awarded $20,000 in scholarships. These five students received $4,000 each: Kayla Clevenger, Madison Central; Amy Gatliff, West Jessamine; Nakia LaShae Ridgeway, Tates Creek; Samantha Hearn, East Jessamine; and Ashley Couch, Anderson County.

Eastern Kentucky University awarded $20,000 in scholarships. These five students received $4,000 each: Michaela Montgomery, Boyle County; Christopher Murner, Woodford County; Savannah Patterson, Lincoln County; Samantha Fowler, Kentucky School for the Deaf; and Lindsay Brock, Lafayette.

Georgetown College also awarded $20,000 in scholarships. These five students received $4,000 each: Rebecca Clay Edwins, Bryan Station; Cheyenne Profitt, Powell County; Dalton Gallenstein, George Rogers Clark; Nia Johnson, Tates Creek; and Logan Adams Lynn II, Christian Academy of Lawrenceburg.

Midway College also awarded $20,000 in scholarships. These five students received $4,000 each: Cynthia Moberly, East Jessamine; Alexandria Staples, Woodford County; Alisha Bledsoe, Harrison County; Cora Kerber, George Rogers Clark; and Kaitlyn Tompkins, Madison Southern.

A $500 scholarship, provided by Class 101, College Finance & Planning, was awarded to Trina Thomas, Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Four ACT/SAT Preparation Courses valued at $500 each and provided by Class 101, College Finance & Planning were awarded to Amy Gatliff, West Jessamine; Dalton Gallenstein, George Rogers Clark; Lauren Taylor, Franklin County; and Nia Johnson, Tates Creek High School.

Five leadership awards of $100 each, provided by Central Bank & Trust Co., were awarded to Sarah Morgan Hutchinson, Lexington Catholic; Samantha Fowler, Kentucky School for the Deaf; Jantzen Thomas Day, Estill County; Chidinma Hannah Nnoromele, Model Lab; and Aaron Hall, Pulaski County.

The Youth Salute is conducted annually through the National Council on Youth Leadership in cooperation with the Central Kentucky Council on Youth Leadership.

"Students must be nominated by their high school counselors, teachers, principals and other community leaders to participate in Youth Salute," said Jim Holifield, chairman of the Central Kentucky Council on Youth Leadership.

All students must be high school juniors at the time they are nominated, have at least a 3.0 grade-point average and have been chosen by their peers or an adult leader for at least two leadership roles in school, religious or community-sponsored organizations during the past two years.

The students honored in Youth Salute are recognized with photographic displays by Holifield Photography at Fayette Mall, shopping centers and schools.

A leadership seminar featuring Olympic trainer and Fortune 500 company motivator Carole Harder was held for Youth Salute students at Georgetown College.

This story was originally published June 20, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "$90,000 in scholarships and awards presented to Youth Salute students."