Community Action Council for Lexington-Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison, and Nicholas Counties is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Outstanding Community Service Award Scholarship. The agency’s annual college scholarship competition is open to high school seniors who have demonstrated a history of volunteerism or community service and live in one of 13 central Kentucky counties (Bourbon, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Garrard, Harrison, Jackson, Laurel, Madison, Nicholas, Powell, Rockcastle, and Scott).
Julian Diaz-Deloach of Paris is the first-place winner and recipient of the $1,500 scholarship to support his post-secondary education. Kesha Richardson, representing the Council, presented Diaz-Deloach with his award on May 27, 2025, at the Bourbon County High School Senior Awards Ceremony.
Diaz-Deloach regularly volunteered with the local Kiwanis Club, often participated in community clean-up efforts, and assisted with holiday food distribution programs. Even after stepping away from Kiwanis to join the workforce and help support his family financially, Diaz-Deloach continued to give back, spending his spare time reading to Head Start children at The Prep Academy at Bourbon County, returning to the very place where his educational journey began.
Diaz-Deloach will attend Eastern Kentucky University in the fall, where he plans to pursue a degree in Forensic Science.
Tyren Harris of Lexington, a student at Carter G. Woodson Academy, earned second place and a $500 scholarship. Harris developed a Spanish-language agricultural program at his school, served as a 4-H youth counselor, acted as a class instructor with the Black Male Working Academy, and assisted with adult ESL courses. He plans to pursue a career based on educating others and is focused on agriculture and Spanish.
Clayton Laytart of Cynthiana is the third-place winner and a $500 scholarship recipient. He attends Harrison County High School and has volunteered extensively with 4-H at the local and state levels throughout his school career, which led him to receive the prestigious 4-H Camp Counselor Teen Award at the Kentucky Volunteer Forum. Laytart has been accepted to Eastern Kentucky University to study Agricultural Business.
Sharon Price, Executive Director of Community Action Council, said the young men chosen for the award exemplify the values of Community Action: hard work, entrepreneurship, innovation, and giving back to the community.
Community Action Council is one of 23 Community Action Agencies operating in Kentucky. Community Action is made possible by the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG); however, scholarships were awarded out of non-grant-related funds. For more information about Community Action Council and the Outstanding Community Service Award, visit www.commaction.org.