The participants for the Youth LEAD Class #16 for 2026-27 have been selected. Forty area youth were chosen to participate in Class #16. Class members take part in a six-month educational course that began with orientation in October and concludes with their graduation at the Paducah Chamber Power in Partnership breakfast in April.

Youth LEAD is a program designed to develop and prepare students for future community support and leadership roles in Paducah-McCracken County. Youth LEAD is for high school juniors. Students spend one day a month learning about human needs and service learning, communication and career development, business and economy, law and government, energy and transportation, and health care in Paducah and McCracken County.

The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce and the Leadership Paducah Alumni Association coordinate the program through The Leadership Center.

Members of Class #16 are as follows:

Community Christian Academy – Kenadie Hughes

McCracken County High School – Maddie Ault; Clayton Baxter; Bennie Boway; Abigail Burkeen; AnnaClaire Edwards; Brently Gregory; Holden Hagan; Anna Hammonds; Lucy Jones; Jordana Kelly; Madison McKinney; Reagan Mobley; Kayden Moore; Emy Morgan; Lily Morrow; Harper Orr; Layton Owens; Om Patel; Alex Poore; Riley Ramage; Maddie Rudy; Griffin Strout; Omarii Thomas; Ella Vandermeulen

Paducah Tilghman High School – Alex Anderson; London Anderson; Elliott Bidwell; Benny dos Remedios; Lucas Lea; Charlotte LeNeave; Alessandra MontorBrookes; Sophie Panor; Adrienne Romain; Sloane Sherrill; Luca Taleban; Ava Thomas

St. Mary High School – William Babbs; Owen Masek; Olivia O'Neill