Thirty high school students have been selected to participate in the third cohort of Youth Lead Georgia™, a flagship statewide leadership program facilitated by the University of Georgia’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development in partnership with Chick-fil-A.
The program equips youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to tackle challenges that impact Georgia’s vitality as future leaders of the state. A $1.5 million pledge from Chick-fil-A to the UGA Fanning Institute provides financial support for Youth Lead Georgia. This support enables students to participate at no cost.
These 10th- and 11th-grade students, representing 27 different counties, were reviewed by an external selection committee from a record pool of nominations, reflecting growing interest and competitiveness in the program.
“As we launch our third year of Youth Lead Georgia, the excitement and interest continue to grow,” said Lauren Healey, senior public service faculty at the Fanning Institute. “This year’s applicants made for an incredibly competitive selection process, and we are thrilled to welcome such a talented, impressive group of students who represent the future leaders of our state.”
The 2026 Youth Lead Georgia class features students with unique strengths and experiences, representing both rural and urban communities from high schools across Georgia.
Participants will take part in four weekend retreats held throughout the year in different regions of the state and a week-long summer bus tour visiting areas not covered in the retreats. They also will serve as leaders in a two-day statewide youth summit in Athens.
In addition to hands-on learning, participants can apply for Bullard Community Champion grants, using their newly acquired skills to lead impactful community service projects in their local areas. These grants are made possible through funding from Regions Bank and Rodney Bullard, CEO of The Same House.
Members of the 2026 Youth Lead Georgia class are:
Grayson Bellwin, Monroe
McFerrin Bibb, Washington
Ridhi Boggavarapu, Fulton
Wren Booker, Floyd
Elizabeth Chestnutt, Muscogee
Brooklynn Cason, Bryan
Quentin Cherry, Fulton
Katherine Cook, Gwinnett
Laura Davis, Hall
Josiah DeFoor, Stephens
Alaina Dhople, Carroll
Jaden Ducelus, Barrow
Lawson Frye, Emanuel
Karlee Gaines, Hart
Kenia Gonzalez-Chavez, Clarke
Mickensey Hobbs, Crisp
Catherine ‘Kai’ Hof, Cherokee
Georgia Johnson, Houston
Jeremiah Joyner, Toombs
Victoria Mobley, Henry
Owen Mumaw, Pickens
Mahi Patel, Columbia
Meera Patel, Floyd
Elizabeth Redding, Colquitt
Kialey Spangler, Grady
Adelle Stay, Muscogee
Isabella Vaughn, Long
Matthew ‘Avery’ West, Chatham
Nell Williams, Oconee
Madalynn Zittrouer, Burke
These participants will kick off programming in January 2026.
Writers: Cat Elrod, Catherine.Elrod@uga.edu; Mary Hotcaveg, Mary.Hotcaveg@uga.edu
Contact: Lauren Healey, LaurenG@uga.edu
