COLUMBIA, Twenty-five young people from across Columbia crossed a meaningful threshold this week, completing the 2026 Columbia Mayor's Youth Council and earning recognition from the city they are being prepared to lead. The City of Columbia announced the graduating class on May 19, celebrating a group of students who spent the program year embedded in municipal government, learning how the decisions made in City Hall ripple out into everyday life across Maury County.
The program was established in 2019 by Mayor Chaz Molder with the goal of giving local students a genuine, hands-on introduction to public service. Participants worked alongside City departments throughout the year, gaining insight into everything from infrastructure planning to community outreach. Mayor Molder praised the graduates for their enthusiasm and engagement, calling the Youth Council one of the most meaningful investments the city can make in its future. He noted that the students demonstrated curiosity, leadership, and a real commitment to understanding how local government serves the public.
The 2026 graduating class includes Brylie Blade, Gabrielle Booker, Ava Codling, Jay Coleman, Sarah Ann Crichton, Avery Daniels, Marilla Dale, Emily DuBose, Wyatt Duke, Jacey Dugger, Maci Dunn, Savannah Dunn, Callie Ervin, Aleia Fletcher, Sam Fuller, Amiya Gardenhire, Addelyn Harrison, Andrew Jefferson, Phynlee Keeling, Charlotte Recknagel, Emma Rhinehart, Tony Somsanith, Caleb Wallbrech, Lyli Whitfield, and Kylie Wood. Each of them earned their place in this program by showing up, asking questions, and taking the work seriously.
Columbia is a city navigating real and complex growth. The pressures of new development, infrastructure demands, and a rapidly changing population make civic engagement not a luxury but a necessity. Programs like the Mayor's Youth Council matter precisely because the students sitting in those City Hall orientation sessions today are the commissioners, administrators, and community leaders of tomorrow. Maury County should be proud of every one of these graduates.