# Lexington awards 'Be the Change' scholarships to 12 FCPS seniors **Published:** 2026-05-06T15:16:45Z **Source:** City of Lexington Mayor's Office (press release, emailed to editor@lexingtonky.news) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/lexington-awards-be-the-change-scholarships-to-12-fcps-seniors LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mayor Linda Gorton announced that 12 Fayette County Public Schools graduating seniors have been awarded $10,000 "Be the Change" scholarships, a program designed to support students of color pursuing careers in fields that address gun violence and strengthen community safety. The scholarship recipients, who are eligible for free or reduced lunch and plan to attend Kentucky two- or four-year colleges, represent the program's expansion to include students from all FCPS high schools and magnet schools. [According to The Lexington Times](https://lexingtonky.news/2026/05/05/mayor-gorton-to-announce-2026-be-the-change-scholarship-winners/), the announcement was made Wednesday at the Government Center Lobby. "I am so proud of these 12 students who are committed to continuing their education with support from the 'Be the Change' scholarship," Gorton said in a statement from the Mayor's Office. "We are thankful to Galls, Central Bank, and Blue Grass Community Foundation, who are working with our ONE Lexington team to support our next generation of community leaders." The scholarship targets students pursuing degrees in fields including criminal justice, public safety, social work, nursing, emergency services and related areas. [ONE Lexington is a city initiative using a public health approach to violence prevention](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/government/mayors-office/one-lexington), focusing on root causes that lead to gun violence among youth and young adults ages 10 to 29. Funding for the program is made possible through partnerships among the City, Galls — a distributor serving public safety professionals — and Central Bank, with administration handled by [Blue Grass Community Foundation](https://fayettefoundation.org/bethechange/). Galls Vice President of Legal Operations Justin Penman said the company's partnership with the city reflects its commitment to serving the public safety professionals who call Lexington home. "Seeing this program grow from a single scholarship at Bryan Station High School into an opportunity for young leaders across every Fayette County public high school is something we are incredibly proud of," Penman said. Central Bank Chairman/President & CEO Luther Deaton called the scholarship "a meaningful investment" in students pursuing education that benefits the community. The program aims to build diverse representation in systems and career paths that address both root causes of and immediate responses to gun violence. [Lexington recorded its lowest number of homicides in a decade and fewest gunshot victims since 2010 in 2025](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/lexington-gun-violence-drops-significantly-in-2025-as-one-lexington-programs-show-impact), marking the fourth consecutive year of declining gun violence in the city. ONE Lexington Director Devine Carama said the scholarship ensures representation in systems that address gun violence, allowing students to "be the change they want to see in their community." The 12 scholarship recipients are attending universities across Kentucky, with the majority pursuing studies at Eastern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky and University of Louisville. ## Sources - [The Lexington Times announcement preview of scholarship winners](https://lexingtonky.news/2026/05/05/mayor-gorton-to-announce-2026-be-the-change-scholarship-winners/) - [City of Lexington ONE Lexington initiative overview](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/government/mayors-office/one-lexington) - [Blue Grass Community Foundation Be the Change scholarship administration](https://fayettefoundation.org/bethechange/) - [Lexington gun violence statistics and 2025 report (LEX 18)](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/lexington-gun-violence-drops-significantly-in-2025-as-one-lexington-programs-show-impact) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) from a press release emailed to editor@lexingtonky.news by City of Lexington Mayor's Office, enriched with 3 web searches.