Udall, Heinrich Announce Open Application Process for 2018 U.S. Senate Youth Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) has begun its annual statewide selection process and encouraged New Mexico high school students to apply.
Each year, two students from each state and the District of Columbia – as well as two children of service members stationed and living abroad — are selected to participate in a week-long study of the federal government and its leaders. The two New Mexico students will join 102 other delegates for the program’s 56th annual Washington Week, from March 3 to March 10, 2018. Each of the student delegates also will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship.
The students will visit Capitol Hill, the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department, the Supreme Court and many other historic sites in Washington. The program agenda includes meetings with senators, the president, cabinet secretaries, and other key policymakers.
“The United States Senate Youth Program is a tremendous opportunity to learn first-hand how the federal government runs, and experience the inner workings of American politics,” said Udall. “I encourage all New Mexico high school students to apply, whether they’re interested in public service, leadership -- or just passionately curious about history and how our government works. I’m looking forward to meeting more of New Mexico's bright, hard-working students and seeing them begin what I hope will be a lifelong commitment to shaping the future of our state and our country.”
“Seeing our democracy and systems of government first-hand in our nation’s capital is an invaluable experience, and can instill a lifelong commitment to public service,” said Heinrich. “I encourage New Mexico's students interested in serving as our state’s delegate and learning about the U.S. Senate and federal government to apply for this worthwhile program."
The New Mexico selection deadline is October 12, 2017. Delegates must be juniors or seniors and elected or appointed student officers for the 2017-2018 academic year. They must reside in the state where they attend school. Eligibility considerations may be made for students elected to district, regional or state-level organizations where they serve in a leadership position for the2017-2018 academic year. Names of students selected will be announced mid-December. Interested students in New Mexico should contact their high school principal or the state-level administrator indicated below:
Ms. Julie Arnold
Principal/Awards Coordinator for the NMASSP
New Mexico Department of Education
(505) 867-0711, ext. 304
For more information, visit www.ussenateyouth.org.
