Commonwealth Teen Advocates (CTA)

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Commonwealth Teen Advocates (CTA) is an eight-week leadership and advocacy program for high school students across Kentucky, designed to help young people identify issues they care about in their communities and take meaningful action. Hosted by the Kentucky YMCA Youth Association, this program blends civic education, hands-on project work, and real-world connections to help students become advocates where they live.

Each week, students meet in small groups with an adult facilitator for a two-hour session that includes an interactive workshop and time to develop a group advocacy project. Topics include local government, research, public speaking, and professional development. Guest speakers from each community will join sessions to bring the topics to life and share their own experience with civic engagement.

At the end of the program, students will present their advocacy projects to their group and then showcase them via tri-folds at their respective Kentucky Youth Assembly (KYA) conference later in the year.

If you're passionate about making a difference, ready to work with a team, and curious about how change really happens, Commonwealth Teen Advocates is for you.

FALL 2026 DETAILS

  • Registration Opens: June 24
  • Registration Closes: August 24
  • Cost: None
  • Counties: TBA

Sessions are every Tuesday from 5:30 - 7:30 PM EST/CST on the following dates:

  • September 8
  • September 15
  • September 22
  • September 29
  • October 6
  • October 13
  • October 20
  • October 27

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

The Commonwealth Teen Advocates program curriculum is designed to help students build real-world advocacy skills, explore issues they care about, and work together on solutions that make an impact in their local communities.

Over the course of eight weekly sessions, students will engage in workshops, hear from local guest speakers, and collaborate in small groups to create an advocacy project they will present to their peers, and later showcase at their respective Kentucky Youth Assembly (KYA) conference.

Each CTA session is two hours long and blends interactive learning, collaboration, and real-world insight. Sessions are designed to be engaging, hands-on, and directly connected to issues facing your community.

Each session includes:

  • Interactive Workshops: Hands-on activities focused on advocacy, civic engagement, leadership, and skill-building. Workshops help students understand how change happens and how they can play an active role in shaping their communities.

  • Guest Speakers & Community Voices: Local leaders, elected officials, nonprofit professionals, and community advocates will join select sessions to share their experiences, answer questions, and offer real-world perspectives on advocacy and public service.

  • Project & Collaboration Time: Students work in small groups with guidance from trained facilitators to research community issues, apply new skills, and develop an advocacy initiative they are passionate about.

Over the course of the program, participants will explore how advocacy works, learn how local government and community systems operate, strengthen communication and leadership skills, and collaborate on a final project that reflects their shared goals and ideas.

WHY JOIN CTA?

Are you passionate about making your community better? Do you see problems and want to be part of the solution? Commonwealth Teen Advocates gives you the tools, support, and platform to turn your ideas into action.

By joining this program, you will:

  • Learn how change happens in your local community

  • Build real-world skills like public speaking, research, and teamwork

  • Work with local leaders and guest speakers who are creating impact every day

  • Collaborate with peers who care about making a difference, just like you

  • Create and present a group advocacy project that reflects your passions and voice

  • Showcase your work at the Kentucky Youth Assembly (KYA)

Whether you’ve been involved in leadership before or this is your first time speaking up, this program is for YOU.

CTA 2025 RECAP

In Spring 2025, we successfully completed a pilot program in Fayette, Jefferson, and Henderson Counties. The goal of this pilot season was to gather student feedback on the curriculum and structure before officially launching the full six-week program. Thanks to the incredible insight and enthusiasm from our students and community partners (advisors, volunteers, County Directors), we were able to refine and strengthen the program for its statewide debut.

In Fall 2025, we proudly launched the full CTA Program across Fayette, Henderson, Jefferson, Rowan, and Scott Counties, as well as surrounding areas. This first full session brought together 60 students from 18 different schools across Kentucky, supported by 7 County Directors, 15 guest speakers, and 20 advocacy projects.

Students presented their projects within their groups and showcased their work at their respective KYA Conferences, demonstrating both their creativity and commitment to civic engagement.

Fall 2025 was a tremendous success! We’re excited to continue growing the CTA Program and expanding its reach to even more counties across the Commonwealth.

A heartfelt thank-you to the Bezos Family Foundation for their generous support in making this program possible.

THANK YOU

Thank You to Our County Directors

A heartfelt thank-you to our incredible County Directors for their dedication, leadership, and support throughout the program. Your commitment to our students made this success possible.

County Directors

  • Fayette County: Abigail Mortell

  • Henderson County: Cooper Beck and Mitchell Melton

  • Jefferson County: Rex Martinez

  • Rowan County: Thomas Clem

  • Scott County: Sammy Smith and Tristin Black

Thank You to Our Community Partners

We’re also deeply grateful to the following locations for generously providing spaces for our sessions. Your hospitality helped create welcoming environments for learning and collaboration.

Host Locations

  • Fayette County: High Street YMCA

  • Henderson County: Henderson County Public Library

  • Jefferson County: Republic Bank YMCA, St. Matthews Library, Louisville Free Public Library – Main Branch

  • Rowan County: Morehead State University

  • Scott County: Scott County Public Library

Thank You to Our Guest Speakers

We extend our sincere gratitude to all of our guest speakers for sharing their time, expertise, and experiences with our students. Your insight and passion for community leadership made a lasting impact on everyone involved.

Guest Speakers

  • Fayette County

    • Stephanie Mobley, Civic Lex

    • Taylor Six, Lexington Herald-Leader

  • Henderson County

    • Kacee Campbell, Executive Director, Audubon Kids Zone (AKZ)

    • Steve Gold, County Attorney

    • Brad Staton, Mayor of Henderson

  • Jefferson County

    • Haven Harrington, Kentucky YMCA Youth Association and Advocacy Professional

    • Maxwell Morley, Teacher and Candidate for State Representative

    • LJ Hall, University of Louisville Admissions Counselor

  • Rowan County

    • Marilyn Smith, Executive Director, Gateway Homeless Coalition

    • Cecil Watkins, County Attorney

  • Scott County

    • Holden Fleming, Director of Development Services, Georgetown-Scott County Planning Commission

    • Berney Jenkins, Mayor of Georgetown

Thank You to Our Students

A special thank-you to the amazing students who participated in the program. Your passion for your communities, dedication to advocacy, and enthusiasm for making a difference inspire us all. We are so proud of the work you’ve accomplished and the impact you’re creating across the Commonwealth.

Thank You to the Bezos Family Foundation

A final thank-you to the Bezos Family Foundation for funding this program and helping us empower students across Kentucky to become the next generation of civic leaders.

WANT CTA IN YOUR COUNTY FOR FALL 2026?

Are you a student, parent, teacher, or community member who's passionate about youth leadership and advocacy? We're looking for new counties to host the Commonwealth Teen Advocates (CTA) program Fall 2026!

Please complete the following interest form if you'd like more information on how to get CTA in your county. For any further questions, please reach out to CTA Program Director, Nicole, via email at nicole@kyymca.org.

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