Lafayette Junior Receives Outstanding Leader Award

The Leadership Lexington Youth Program presented its 2025 Outstanding Leader Award to Davis Ashmun, a junior at Lafayette High School. Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass gave the plaque April 2 to cap the group’s graduation ceremony downtown at Harper Hall. 

“Davis is incredibly personable and consistently takes on a leadership role within any group. He’s never afraid to speak up or ask thoughtful questions — especially in moments when others are hesitant. His confidence and initiative set him apart, and I have no doubt he’s destined for great things. I can't wait to see all that he accomplishes!” said Savannah Combs, program manager. 

LLYP encourages students to connect with community leaders and to explore local issues, post-secondary options, career fields, and business opportunities. They meet one Wednesday a month during the school year and focus on a different area each session, such as the arts or health and human services. The 2024-25 class included 36 students from Fayette County Public Schools. 

This year’s participants voted on which classmate best exemplified strong leadership. Here are some things Davis’ peers had to say:

• "Davis is one of the most confident people I know and in the best way possible. He elevates every experience with his knowledge and curiosity and challenges every speaker with his engaging questions. He is a great guy to be around."
• "His humor, optimism, confidence, and perfect voice level at expressing his ideas are just outstanding. He is also funny for no reason. I truly think he deserves the award."
• "I voted for Davis because he consistently shows dedication, inspires others, and leads by example. His positive attitude and commitment to the program make him the perfect choice!"