STEP UP, or Student Education & Partnership in Urban Planning, was a year and a half long program conducted in conjunction with NKAPC and students from the Kenton County School District. The general premise of the program was to enter into a discussion with the youth of today to get their thoughts and opinions on what they want to see in the future of Kenton County. While the students are eighteen years old today they will be thirty-eight years old at the time of the plan’s target horizon and be tomorrow’s taxpayers and decision makers.

Eleven students from the three Kenton County School District high schools were selected at the end of their sophomore year in spring 2009 and participated in the program until its conclusion in February 2011. Students met every other Tuesday at the NKAPC office for one and one-half hour seminars where they learned about the planning commission and issues currently being addressed in the community and issues that will potentially affect the area in the future.

During the summer of 2010 students were given an assignment that provided them an opportunity to utilize the skills learned during their junior year. Throughout their senior year the students actively participated with NKAPC staff to develop recommendations, ideas and goals for the plan. The work from the students is found below and will become a part of the new Comprehensive Plan representing the view of youth in the planning process. The program culminated with a student presentation given in February 2011 to the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Council.

Student Presentation to the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Council
Goals for Kenton County’s Future