LEXINGTON, Ky. — Alima Sylva, a senior at Bryan Station High School, has been awarded the $5,000 Superintendent of the Year Student Scholarship following the selection of Superintendent Demetrus Liggins as Kentucky's 2026 statewide honoree.

Liggins, who has led Fayette County Public Schools since July 2021, received the Kentucky Association of School Administrators award in July and is now competing for the National Superintendent of the Year award. The honor recognizes outstanding contributions to public education and dedication to students.

Sylva served on the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to amplifying student voice throughout the district. "Alima will continue to make Fayette County very proud in her years ahead as a neuroscience major at Centre College," Liggins said.

The Superintendent's Student Advisory Council includes up to 30 representatives from all six high schools, plus Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, The Learning Center, STEAM Academy, and Carter G. Woodson Academy. The council serves as a vital bridge between district administration and the student body, ensuring student perspectives drive district-level decision-making.

During the 2025-26 school year, Sylva and fellow council members spearheaded several initiatives, including the "Awareness is Care-ness" Campaign—a student-designed anti-hate and cultural sensitivity awareness initiative—and enhancements to the Elevate platform, which promotes goal setting and self-advocacy skills that support lifelong learning.

In her winning essay, Sylva reflected on her transformation through the council experience. "My time on this council has shaped me not only as a student but as a person," she wrote. "It pushed me to move from a passive observer to someone active in the engagement."

The Kentucky Association of School Administrators has sponsored the scholarship since 1988 in partnership with American Fidelity. The award traditionally goes to a student in the home district of the state's Superintendent of the Year, celebrating both the superintendent's leadership and student achievement within the district.