November 22, 2019 (Morehead, KY) – The inaugural class of BRIGHT Kentucky, a Leadership Kentucky program, graduated in Morehead on Friday, November 22, 2019. Forty-eight civic and community leaders from across the Appalachian region of Kentucky celebrated completion of the program at the Morehead Conference Center. Cumberland Valley Area Development District was represented by Jessica Blankenship, Regional Transportation Planner, who completed the program.
BRIGHT Kentucky is designed to build the capacity of next-generation leaders (average age 20-40) in the Appalachian region of Kentucky to innovate, collaborate, and advance community and economic development. BRIGHT Kentucky engages bright, entrepreneurial minds from all sectors and regions to offer non-partisan, ethical leadership training, expanded networks, and mentors designed especially for residents of the 54 Kentucky counties of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). Following graduation, participants are prepared to think long-term and strategically build upon the strengths of their communities and newly formed networks to lead the region to a more prosperous future.
The program, which ran July through November, took participants across Eastern Kentucky including: Natural Bridge Region in July, Big Sandy Region and Cumberland Region in September, the Daniel Boone Region in October, and the Gateway Region in November. BRIGHT Kentucky is made possible by a $500,000 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant and private funding from the Whitaker Foundation, SOAR – Shaping Our Appalachian Region, and others. The ARC is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments, including Kentucky, focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region.
“The BRIGHT program is a call to action. Effective leadership requires action and is best measured by results. The participants have been challenged to identify various projects to improve their region and exercise ethical leadership and regional collaboration to render success,” said Elmer Whitaker, former Leadership Kentucky Board Chair and BRIGHT Program Visionary and donor. “Given the quality leaders in the program and the growth obtained through BRIGHT, we are certain their actions will have positive results.”
This year’s class included 47 participants from 28 different ARC counties representing a variety of public and private sectors.
BRIGHT Kentucky will be have its second class in 2020. Applications for the Class of 2020 will be available in March online at www.leadershipky.org.