On November 11, at the base of the state educational institution "School No. 1, Gorki", the district stage of the "Leader of the Year – 2026" republican contest was held, aimed at identifying and spreading successful practices of children's and youth leadership, as well as supporting socially significant initiatives of active youth.

Participants in the contest included representatives of children's and youth public associations, student self-governance bodies, and children's and youth councils from 8 state educational institutions in the city and district.

The contest jury, which included Natalia Demyanyovych, chair of the district council of the public association "BRPO"; Nikita Skripchenko, first secretary of the Goretsky district committee of the public association "BRSM"; Svetlana Bulasova, deputy director of GUDO "Goretsky District Center for Children and Youth Creativity"; and methodologists Ksenia Savelieva and Valeria Kozheevna from the "Goretsky District Educational-Methodological Cabinet", evaluated the contestants' performances on merit, noting their leadership qualities, creative approach, and organizational potential.

As a result of the contest trials, places were distributed as follows:

1. Ivan Varenikov, a student of School No. 1, Gorki State Educational Institution;
2. Galina Khmurovich, a student of the "Dobrovska Secondary School, Goretsky District" State Educational Institution;
3. Ksenia Shumeiko, a student of School No. 4, Gorki State Educational Institution;
4. Veronika Kurilenko, a student of the "Savskaya Secondary School, Goretsky District" State Educational Institution.