JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear announced a new program Monday with the goal of ensuring every Jefferson County student has a pathway to higher education or a job before they graduate from high school.

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Andy Beshear announced a new program aimed at helping Jefferson County high school students secure higher education and/or jobs before they graduate

  • The program is called "Everybody Counts"
  • Four of Louisville's largest businesses are participating along with local organizations, labor and education partners

  • The governor said the program will be in place this year to help the class of 2022 

The program came out of a realization that there are currently more jobs than people, that there’s more scholarship money available, and that some young people have lost hope, the governor said. 

"This program will state the message very loud and clear that here in Kentucky, every young adult counts," said Beshear. "Every single one.”

The program, “Everybody Counts," is a partnership between Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), organizations like Evolve 502 and the Louisville Urban League, education and labor partners and four of Louisville’s largest employers. 

"Before their graduation, this program aims to have every senior signed up for higher education or already placed in a good-paying job, or in some cases, both," Beshear said at a news conference at Pleasure Ridge Park High School. 

The participating employers include Ford Motor Company, UPS, GE Appliances and Kroger. 

Ann Reed, the Louisville Metropolitan Area Division president for Kroger, talked about the company's job opportunities. 

"The jobs we want to offer our graduates today are specialists, department leaders, e-commerce leaders," she said. 

Simmons College of Kentucky President Kevin Cosby told the students gathered in the auditorium that they had a bright future. 

"You should, from this point on, walk around with sunglasses on," he said.

Jalelia Wydman is a 12th grader at the Academy at Shawnee with dreams of becoming a pilot.

"I feel like the opportunity of giving us a job after high school and paying for our tuition will most definitely make us, I don’t know, it’s very unspeakable right now," she said. "It’s very exciting. I’m shocked."

The governor said that by Feb., information will be going out to parents and students about job and scholarship opportunities.

He said the program would be in place to help the class of 2022 and he would like to see it grow to other parts of Kentucky. 

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