A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Candidates: Teacher Chris Wright wants to serve on the Ludlow City Council; Ludlow is his hometown


By Chris Wright
Candidate, Ludlow City Council

“Once a panther, always a panther” is a phrase that gets used quite frequently within Ludlow Independent Schools. Quite literally, I live that phrase every single day. As a graduate of the class of 2004 and currently serving in my 11th year as a teacher at Ludlow High School, I am asking the citizens of Ludlow for their vote for city council on November 6th.

Like so many Panthers, I had the great fortune of attending Ludlow Schools grades K-12. I represented the 4th generation of my family to attend Ludlow and my son, Harvey, will mark the 5th. Ludlow, the school and the city, is in my blood. Upon earning my bachelor’s degree it was only natural that I returned to Ludlow as a teacher.

I am extremely proud of the work we have done at Ludlow High School since I began teaching in 2008. In their latest rankings, LHS earned a bronze medal from the U.S. News and World Report, placing it within the top 29% of schools in the nation. Ludlow High School was recently among the top tier of the Kentucky Department of Education’s latest assessment delineations. I was also honored to be recognized as the 2018 KCTE Kentucky High School Teacher of the Year.

Chris Wright

I do not shy away from hard work and am willing to put in the time and effort necessary to help guide our community. While working as a full-time teacher, I have also earned master’s degrees from both Northern Kentucky University and Xavier University, and am in my final class of my doctoral degree in Leadership Studies from Xavier. I also serve as the head cross-country and track & field coach, as well as the junior varsity boys’ basketball coach. Hard work and long hours are nothing new to me.

Ludlow is an incredible community with a rich history. Lifelong citizens of Ludlow are extremely proud of that history, many quick to engage in discussion about the former Lagoon Amusement Park, how “nobody does homecoming like Ludlow”, how many generations of their family lived there (see above), or the Panthers defeating Heath 7-6 in the 1975 state football championship, just to name a few.

I hope to help both add to that history, as well as restore it. Too many buildings are currently sitting empty in our town. Our city’s role in development should focus primarily on finding solutions to return these buildings to their proper condition, providing homes for families and businesses.

We must keep our momentum moving forward with our businesses, building on the hard work and creativity that entrepreneurs have already brought to our city. In recent years the city has added a great mix of businesses to the number of other businesses that have been around for decades. I am extremely thankful to the owners of those businesses for choosing Ludlow. They have demonstrated that businesses can not only survive but thrive in our community.

Events such as Beyond the Curb and the monthly Second Saturday have been great showcases for both living and being a consumer in our city; we must continue to seek creative solutions to show off the city that I often hear referred to as a hidden gem.

As a city councilman, I hope to engage as many people as possible. I want the members of the community, both young and old, to feel as if they have a voice. In addition to engaging in frequent dialogue with our adult residents, I will also be starting a Youth Advisory Council for our community. Our Youth Advisory Council will concurrently have an opportunity to learn how their local government works and how they can make their community better.

I have used that term, community, frequently. Ludlow is a special place. We have something that many cities do not. We are proud of our history, of our school, of our town.

During high school, Principal Wise would end pep rallies and assemblies with the phrase “remember who you are, and where you come from.” I am proud to be the product of Ludlow.

On November 6th, I am asking for your vote for city council to further serve the community that I love.


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