Good evening, everyone, and uh welcome to uh city Hampton City Council ceremonial session, also known as the spotlight.

And so I would like the uh to ask clerk to call a role, please.

Councilman Bowman, President, Vice Mayor Brown.

Here.

Councilwoman Campbell, present, Councilwoman Faraby.

Here, Councilwoman Harper, present, Councilwoman Muggler, President, Mayor Gray.

President, and uh this evening our spotlight is going to focus on some of the great people in our community uh who uh uh were part of our state of the city, or at least my first state of the city presentation, and uh which turned out to be really great, people still talking about it, and so we want to recognize some folks who have helped to make that happen.

So I want to uh turn it over to uh marketing and outreach coordinator, uh Mr.

Brian Marcase uh to kind of introduce the information on this evening spotlight.

Brian.

Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, City Council, City Manager Bunting, and City Attorney Sidner.

Tonight we take a moment to reflect on a powerful scene from this past December, one that captured the spirit of Hampton, not through statistics, slides, videos, and the business announcements in the mayor's speech, although you did do a great job, Mayor.

Um, but also through the energy, sound, and student voices that filled the room.

Each year, the state of the city is an opportunity to honestly look at where we are, to celebrate how far we've come, and to share a vision of where we're heading.

It is a moment of reflection, accountability, and pride.

This year's State of the City was especially meaningful.

It marked Mayor Gray's first State of the City address as mayor, a moment of new perspective and renewed civic pride.

The program highlighted Hampton's fifth All America City designation and showcased how our city continues to level up through economic growth, resilience, neighborhoods, quality of life, and engagement.

But before the mayor even stepped up onto the podium, before the formal address even began, something special happened.

As lunch began, the program shifted into something deeply meaningful.

Hampton City Schools chose to elevate their students' voices over their own.

Introduced by doctor by Superintendent Dr.

Raymond Haynes and City Manager Mary Bunting, three students took the microphone to share Hampton City School what Hampton City Schools looks like from their perspective.

Their stories reflected the very themes the mayor would later highlight in this speech workforce development, education, engagement, equity, and opportunity.

They showed how Hampton's investments in schools, partnerships, and pathways are already paying dividends.

These students did not simply speak at the state of the city, they represented the state of our city.

Tonight, we'd like to recognize those three students for their leadership and their outstanding speeches.

Marcus shared how his elementary school experience helped him connect today's classroom lessons to tomorrow's possibilities.

Through a fifth grade capstone project focused on career awareness, Marcus explored his dream of becoming a chef and a restaurant owner.

He didn't just imagine success, he learned how to plan for it.

From budgeting and college planning and teamwork and time management, Marcus showed us that when students are encouraged to dream early about their passions, they can learn how to build them step by step and reach those goals.

Marcus's confident confidence, humor, and clarity reminded everybody in the room that the future of Hampton is already learning how to lead.

And Marcus, I'll be taking you up on your offer to eat at your new restaurant in a few years when it opens.

Next, we have Jalen Harris, a ninth grader at Phoebus High School.

And she reflected on one of the most pivotal moments of uh a student's journey, the transition from middle school to high school.

As eighth graders, Jalen and her classmates focused on self-awareness, community impact, and preparation for what comes next.

Her capstone project tackles substance abuse and peer pressure, issues that affect young people everywhere.

Through research, teamwork, and the launch of a student podcast, Jalen discovered that meaningful change doesn't require waiting for adulthood.

It requires curiosity, courage, and a willingness to use your voice.

Today, Jalen is continuing that journey through the Virginia Peninsula Community College Academy of the College Experience on track to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate's degree.

Her story illustrated how Hampton's internal pathways prepare students not just for graduation but for purpose.

And I forgot to mention she is uh ninth grader at Peebus High School now.

And finally, the audience heard from Ava Taylor, Tanner, excuse me, a senior at Bethel High School and a proud member of the Academy of Law and Public Safety.

Ava spoke as a student leader, one who understands the let the leadership is not about position, but of service.

Through her roles as the lead academy ambassador, president of alternative world changers, and president of youth government youth and government, Ava has turned leading learning into action.

Her academy experiences from mock trials to community partnerships have shaped her passion for law, public policy, and social justice.

Ava shared her vision for the future, a career in corporate and criminal law, and one day opening her own law firm and rehabilitation centers to help reform systems and restore lives.

Her words reflected not only her ambition, but responsibility, a deep understanding of what it means to serve her community.

With that, Mayor, if you'd like to come down and could I have Marcus, uh Jalen and Ava come on up to the right.

I know I thought she might want to go back in the state world so she can see it.

I will.

Thank you.

Mayor.

Parents and school board.

Dr.

Mason and principals.

Yep.

And before we move on, I want to acknowledge all of the people who are sitting who came up to take the photo with us.

We had uh Dr.

Raymond Haynes, our school superintendent, uh Dr.

Richard Mason, chair of the school board, Mr.

Joe Kilgore from the school board, Ms.

Shamika Pala, Chief of Secondary Schools, Mr.

Dr.

James Harris, chief of chief academic officer, uh, Miss Kelly Gore, executive director of PR and Marketing, uh Mr.

David Kokelee, uh, executive principal at Phoebus High School, um, Dr.

Dr.

Tanya Howard, executive principal at Bethel High School, and Mr.

Paul Lawrence, principal of Kilgore Gift Center.

Thank you all for joining us this evening.

Brian, next to finish up with that with the students.

Um, as the city manager, as city manager Mary Bunting shared that day, their voices, the students' voices remind us of why this work matters and why collaboration between the city and the city, Hampton of City Schools is essential to Hampton's continued success.

Next, um, as lunch wrapped up and the program prepared uh to transition to the formal keynote, the energy in the room shifted once again.

The lights went down, the doors open, and leading the way, setting the rhythm and tone for the keynote was the Hampton University Marching Force Drum Line with Jimmy or Jimmy Gray, Mayor Jimmy Gray helping the drum major lead the way.

I think everybody remembers that moment.

With precision, power, and the unmistakable presence.

I think everyone in the building knew that that the marching force was was in the building.

The drum lounge proudly marched the mayor into the room.

Their performance was more than ceremonial.

It was a reminder that Hampton's story is not is shaped not only by policy and progress, but by culture, tradition, and excellence rooted in community.

The Hampton University Marching Force Drumline represents generations of discipline, musicianship, and HBCU pride.

In that moment, they reminded everyone in the room that leadership can be announced not just through words, but with confidence, rhythm, and heart.

Tonight we proudly recognize the Hampton University Marching Force Drumline for opening the state of the city with this with distinction and reminding us of the power of art to unite and to impress.

And uh Renita Leonts, the director of creative services.

And last but not least, our drum major, uh Austin Luke is here with a number of the marching force uh uh students here.

I don't sorry, I don't know everybody's name.

Um but uh with that I would like to invite Dr.

Jones, um, Dr.

Redd and Drummond Major uh Austin Luke up front to accept this, and then we will get a uh separate picture with everybody uh after the meeting.

Good?

Are you with the recipe now?

Yeah, the rest of the band up here?

Yeah, everybody look here.

Got it.

Absolutely great.

Thank you guys.

So both of these moments reinforce the same truth.

Hampton's future is shaped through intentional investment and people and its rich tradition and public input and collaboration.

We saw a city celebrating its youngest students and its ultra oldest cultural institutions.

Please join me in one last round of applause for these outstanding students and performers who made the 2025 State of the City not just an address but a shared community experience.

Thank you, Brian.

And again, thanks to uh the students from Hampton City Schools and great students from the Martian Force at Hampton University.

Thank you so much for making my first state of the city presentation a great success.

And uh one that's going to you know still talked about today and I think will be you know uh a memorable one for for the future when people think about how to do a state of the city because we we gotta go to a lot of the top what we did last year, but we're gonna try to do that.

So but thank you all for making it a success.

All right.

And so with that, we uh adjourn, and I'm gonna come back.

I have one more item for the students before they leave, but I'll be back and join you back there, but meeting adjourned.