Udall, Heinrich Encourage Outstanding High School Students to Apply for Senate Youth Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich encouraged outstanding New Mexico high school juniors and seniors to apply for the highly competitive United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Two New Mexico students will be selected to join 102 other delegates at the program’s 54th annual Washington Week from March 5-12, 2016. During their all expenses paid trip, New Mexico’s representatives will learn about the workings of the U.S. Senate and federal government. Additionally, each selected participant will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. 

“New Mexico’s students are the future leaders of our state and our nation,” Udall said. “I’ve had the pleasure to meet several of our state’s delegates to the United States Senate Youth Program over the years, and am always impressed by their passion for leadership and commitment to our state. All New Mexico student leaders who are interested in public service should apply for this unique opportunity for an inside look at the federal government.” 

“The United States Senate Youth Program not only provides delegates with a college scholarship and the chance to represent New Mexico in our nation’s capital, but it also helps instill a lifelong commitment to public service,” Heinrich said. "I encourage students interested in serving as our state’s delegate and learning about the U.S. Senate and federal government to apply.”

The USSYP was established by the U.S. Senate in 1962 to help increase young Americans' understanding of the relationships between the three branches of government, the duties of federally elected and appointed officials, and the importance and impact of democratic decision-making in the United States and throughout the world. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Senate, and fully funded by the Hearst Foundations. Students selected to participate in the program will visit Capitol Hill, the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and the Supreme Court. The agenda frequently includes meetings with senators, the president, cabinet secretaries, a U.S. Supreme Court justice, senior members of the national media and other key policy makers. 

The delegate selection is administered by each state’s chief school officer in cooperation with high school principals. Delegates must be juniors or seniors and elected student officers for the 2015-2016 academic year, and they must reside in the state where they attend school. Eligibility considerations may also be made for student representatives elected or selected (by a panel, commission or board) to district, regional or state-level civic or educational organizations where the delegate is serving a constituency in a high level position for the entire 2015-2016 academic year.

Applications from New Mexico students are due by October 9, 2015, and the names of selected students will be formally announced mid-December. 

A 2016 brochure with further information and detailed rules about the selection process can be found at www.ussenateyouth.org. The application for New Mexico students is available at www.nmassp.org/id14.html.