09/10/2026
THE HERNANDO MAYOR’S YOUTH COUNCIL had their first meeting last Thursday evening to kick of the 2026-27 year. Mayor Chip Johnson and Alderman Andrew Miller gave clear and encouraging messages to our MYC students. We have a brand new student Executive Council who has already jumped in and exhibited excellent leadership. Please read the recent news article below which appeared Thursday in the DeSoto Times-Tribune.
Hernando Mayor’s Youth Council Officially Starts (by Jake Lankford)
Three years ago, Hernando High School junior Paige Howlett was looking for ways to get involved with the community. Everyone she knew recommended applying for Hernando’s Mayor’s Youth Council, where students learn the inner workings of city governance and can develop their leadership skills.
“When I first joined the Mayor’s Youth Council, I never thought I would be so interested in it as I am now, let alone serving as a council member,” Howlett said. “Being able to show others how vital their participation in government is something I am incredibly thankful for. Additionally, getting to firsthand experience how complex city leadership is has given me a greater appreciation for those who devote their time to it.”
Howlett has been a part of the Youth Council for 3 years and is serving as vice president for the 2026-2027 Youth Council, which had over 100 kids sign up and will have their first meeting on September 3.
The Hernando Mayor’s Youth Council began in 2012 and is limited to students who attend Hernando High School. Students meet once a week for leadership development, small group projects, and volunteering on the various events and programs in the city. A select group of students will attend the Mississippi Municipal League (MML) Youth Summit at the start of March at Delta State University.
Youth Council alumni have gone on to attend service academies like Ellie Grehan, who went to West Point and Connor Couch at the Naval Academy. Four members have signed up for the Leadership Institute at Ole Miss/University of Mississippi. Another notable alum is James Fong, who was recently named the Young Republican of the Year from the DeSoto County Republicans.
Scott Smith, assistant to the Mayor and Youth Council advisor, said the council is building on strong growth and has several new speakers this year like Mississippi State Supreme Court Justice Celeste Wilson; Assistant Secretary of State in External Affairs Wade Hinton; DeSoto County Election Commissioner David Ross; and Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis CEO Gwendolyn Woods. Mayor Chip Johnson and Ward 2 Alderman Andrew Miller will be the first speakers for this year’s group of kids.
“We’ve been building on the last four years of growth and we expect another great year,” Smith said. “We’ve got about 100 kids and we’ve got some great speakers, great support from our Mayor, and Hernando High School is an excellent partner for us. The reputation of our council has been rising and we’ve been able to grow the pool of speakers. Normally, we cycle through the department heads, the Mayor, and Aldermen every year.”
Youth Council members are a regular sight at events like Dickens of a Christmas, the Water Tower 10K and a Half Marathon, Cookies With Santa, and at senior center programs. The council’s first volunteer project this month is with the city’s Challengers special-needs youth soccer team, where they will spend four weekends with them and play a game with them. This year, the Youth Council will also be volunteering for Hernando Police Department’s National Night Out on October 24. This is a community-policing awareness event that has happened since 1984 and sees local departments hosting events to increase their community connection.
Youth Council president Kennedy Davis said she hopes to build up her leadership and communication skills. Another goal she has is ensuring that every member feels involved in projects and in volunteering. Davis has been on the council for two years and is a senior at Hernando High School. She plans on becoming an industrial engineer when she graduates and said her skills on the Mayor’s Youth Council will help her in that field.
“I was drawn to the Mayor’s Youth Council because I was interested in serving through community service, plus I was also new to the area and looking for a way to get involved,” Davis said. “I’m especially excited for Dickens of a Christmas. Last year, I helped with ornament-making with the children and it was so rewarding to see their faces light up when they saw their creations. I’m also excited to hear from Mayor Chip Johnson and Boys and Girls Club CEO Gwendolyn Woods.”
Davis said she wants students to recognize the impact they can make through service and that they are Hernando’s future leaders.
“I would advise my peers to sign up early and not procrastinate on their application,” Davis said. “MYC is such an amazing opportunity to get involved, serve your community, and meet other students, so you definitely don’t want to miss out.”
Being a part of the Mayor’s Youth Council and setting an example for the youth in Hernando means so much to me. I want to inspire other young people to get involved, serve their community, and do whatever they can to make a positive difference.”
Jaylin Hemphill, 2026-2027 Youth Council communications director, said he was interested in joining the Youth Council to meet Hernando’s decision-makers and understand how the city is run. Hemphill joined when he was a freshman and he is now a sophomore at Hernando High School. He said he is excited for the MML Youth Summit and what he can learn from it to bring to his own youth council.
“I really hope to grow as a leader and become more confident in speaking up, working with others, and representing the youth in our community,” Hemphill said. “The Youth Summit will give us a perspective that we wouldn’t get in a classroom. I’m most excited about getting to meet other young leaders, learn from them, and bring new ideas back to Hernando that we can hopefully put into action.”
Hemphill plans on entering journalism when he graduates from school. He said he will use his Youth Council knowledge to report local issues and help readers know what is happening in the community.
“I’m planning to study journalism with a minor in political studies, so what I learn on MYC will be really useful,” Hemphill said. “I’d especially like to use what I learn about local government and civic issues to become a better journalist and help people understand what is happening in their communities.”
Smith said he is excited to work with an executive council that is composed entirely of first timers. He said he can’t wait to see how this current slate of kids develops their skills over their year on the Youth Council.
“We graduated 32 seniors last year, which is a lot,” Smith said. “It’s like a high school sports team who won a championship with all seniors, but the buildup is even more exciting to see with what new leadership could rise up through the ranks. I’m very excited to see the perspective of this group. That experience on the Youth Council will make them better in anything they attempt to pursue.”
Source: DeSoto Times-Tribune, September 3, 2026
