Wendy Young, Scott County Schools
Kentucky School Advocate
October 2023
Q. You were first appointed to the Scott County school board in 2022. Why did you apply to be a board member?
A. I could see so many things changing for educators, with decisions sometimes being made by people who don’t have knowledge and an understanding of education on a day-to-day basis. I decided to get into politics – I really wanted to be on the school board but there wasn’t a position open, so I applied to be a county magistrate. Then, a month later a school board position opened because the board member moved. I was appointed. Something else that made me want to serve is that people of color make up 7% of our population in Scott County, but our government representation does not reflect that.
Q. How does being a teacher impact how you approach your board service?
A. When any decision comes down, ultimately a principal or classroom teacher must make sure it is carried out. Because of my 27 years in education – as a teacher, a trainer and a principal – I can understand how teachers and administrators will need to approach the changes. Because I am an educator, I understand their needs. For example, in Scott County we increased taxes to help fund education. It was important because during the pandemic and now coming out of it, we need to provide more financial support for educators. There has been a lot of pressure on educators with online learning and technology, learning gaps and making sure students are ready for assessments. We are losing teachers because they need to make more money to support their families.
Q. In addition to your work in education, you sing and act. Tell us about that aspect of your life.
A. I’ve been singing since I was old enough to stand up and sing. I have always sung in church; my husband and I have a ministry – the St. Matthew A.M.E. Church in Midway, and I sing there. Growing up, I acted in high school and church plays, and I was a member of the International Thespian Society. My son got the acting bug about five years ago, so we started working with a talent agent. I got a nonspeaking role, playing a lawyer, in the movie “Who Is Amos Otis?,” streaming on Amazon Prime. It was filmed in Covington. My son has been in plays with Lexington Children’s Theater. We did one production together, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” I played his mom.
Q. You grew up in Scott County and graduated from school there. How has the community changed since you were young? How is it same?
A. It’s the same in that a lot of the families that were here when I was growing up are still here. At the same time, it has grown so much. The heart of the community is the same, and even with more people, there is still the love of the community. Having the Toyota plant here changed the landscape from a small, rural community. We definitely see that in the school system. We built two high schools in less than 6 years. We are providing top-notch facilities for students. You come into a building that is new and clean and you just have pride.
Q. You’ve also been an advocate for public education in Frankfort and in your community. Can you tell us why that is important to you?
A. I was the Scott County KEA president for many years. I had been president a couple of years when the legislature moved to increase teacher health insurance premiums. It was my first experience with a political issue. The local chapters were asked to rally so teachers would understand the issue and we could talk to our legislators. So, we organized a rally. It was instrumental in explaining why it is important to pay for our insurance and not raise the premiums. We have to encourage other educators to understand what is going on and to advocate for public education, otherwise groups will make policy changes under our noses.
Getting to know
Profession: Third-grade teacher at Northern Elementary in Lexington
Hometown: Georgetown
Family: Husband, Pastor Joshua C. Hale; son, Tannare Brown
Favorite subject in school: English
Hobbies: Singing and acting. I also love listening to podcasts during my commute. Favorites are “Let’s Read the Gospels” with Annie F. Downs and “The Science of Reading.”
Book recommendation: “The Sum of Us” by Heather McGhee. I got to hear her when she spoke at UK.
Interesting fact: I’m a trainer for Kagan Publishing and during the summers I travel all over the country to teach teachers about student engagement. This summer, in five days, I taught 200 teachers in five cities – Lexington, Chicago, Nashville, Orlando and Los Angeles. I use the principles taught in the training in the classroom and in church when I preach.