HIGDON CONGRATULATES MARION COUNTY’S HARPER BLAKE ON APPOINTMENT TO KENTUCKY BOARD OF EDUCATION

HIGDON CONGRATULATES MARION COUNTY’S HARPER BLAKE ON APPOINTMENT TO KENTUCKY BOARD OF EDUCATION

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 15, 2025) — Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, today congratulated Marion County High School junior Harper Blake on her recent appointment as the newest non-voting student member of the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE).

Blake, the fifth student in Kentucky’s history to serve in this role, will bring a valuable student perspective to education policy discussions at the state level. According to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), she follows previous student members Preston Graham of Woodford County, R.J. Osborne of Whitley County, Joud Daleh of Boone County, and Solyana Mesfin of Jefferson County.

“Harper’s selection to the Kentucky Board of Education is a real honor, not only for her but for all of Marion County,” said Higdon. “Her hard work, academic success, and commitment to serving her peers make her a fantastic choice for this position. I’m confident she will represent our community and Kentucky’s students with integrity and vision.”

Blake credited her teachers for supporting her application through letters of recommendation and guidance. Known for challenging herself academically, she takes advanced courses and participates in several extracurricular activities.

“I really love school, and I just think that it’s a great opportunity whenever we have challenging classes, so I try and take them,” Blake said in a release from KDE. “I thought it was amazing that our state gives these opportunities to students.”

Higdon noted that Blake’s achievement is an inspiration to other young leaders across the commonwealth and to others who will follow in her footsteps. 

“Ms. Blake is proof that dedication and passion can open doors for our youth to help shape the future of education in Kentucky,” he added.

For more on Harper Blake’s appointment, visit Kentucky Teacher.

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Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, represents the 14th Senate District, including LaRue, Marion, Nelson, Spencer, and Washington Counties. He serves as co-chair of the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation and the Public Pension Oversight Board. He also serves on the Interim Joint Committees on Education; Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations; Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection; and the Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation. He is a member of the Kentucky Housing Task Force.