Coshocton County Youth Leadership graduates 15

Coshocton County Youth Leadership held its graduation ceremony May 6 for the Class of 2026 at the M Event Centre, located on the grounds of Coshocton KOA Holiday.

Surrounded by family, friends and school leadership, the young leaders celebrated a year of learning about the Coshocton community and leadership. Treated to presentations by the young philanthropists, audience members listened as the youth took turns at the podium to describe their Coshocton Foundation Trustee’s Pay It Forward Project, now in its 10th year, with over $10,000 being invested in community projects.

These young leaders held fundraisers to increase donations to local nonprofit organizations. There were donations to honor Ava Winner while other students put sweat equity into projects to benefit families facing food insecurity.

Graduates of the Coshocton County Youth Leadership Class of 2026 include Jerrett “JT” Allison, River View High School; Caleb Chiappetta, Coshocton County Career Center; Bransyn Dawson, Coshocton High School; Ayres Hamilton, River View High School; Gwen Loper, Coshocton Christian School and the Coshocton County Career Center; Kelsey McClellan, River View High School; Wesson McPherson, Coshocton County Career Center and Ridgewood High School; Paisley Miller, River View High School; Mairin Mullett, River View High School; Payne Skelton, Coshocton High School; Owen Spaulding, River View High School; Ava Walsh, River View High School; Emma Wheeler, Ridgewood High School; Wylan Wright, Coshocton High School; and Aurora Yoder, River View High School.

Coshocton County Youth Leadership is a program of the Coshocton Foundation and receives funding from the Coshocton Foundation, the Dunmire Family Fund, Leadership Coshocton County, Simpson Family Fund and individual contributors. Developed as a project of the Leadership Coshocton County Class of 1994, CCYL provides a basic foundation of leadership skills for high school juniors, assists in the development of communication skills, and presents an opportunity to interact with community leaders and fellow participants.

The Coshocton County Youth Leadership Class of 2027 will begin in July 2026, and applications for the Class of 2028 are due March 1, 2027. For more information email lead@coshoctonfoundation.org.