Washington, D.C. — – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King are encouraging Maine high school students to apply for the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), which has begun its statewide selection process for the program’s 56th Annual Washington Week. Senator Collins is an alumna of the program, and Senator King is the 2018 USSYP Independent Co-Chair.

The USSYP brings two students from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity to Washington to experience an intensive week-long educational program about the workings of the Senate and the federal government overall. Maine’s two selected students will join 102 other delegates March 3 – 10, 2018.

“I have the honor of being the first delegate to the U.S. Senate Youth Program to have been elected to the U.S. Senate. As a senior in high school, this incredible program strengthened my commitment to public service,” said Senator Collins. “I strongly encourage Maine students to apply for this opportunity to develop their leadership skills and learn about our legislative process firsthand.”

“The U.S. Senate Youth Program is an excellent way for hardworking students from Maine to gain valuable experience, further develop their leadership skills, and learn about our country’s history and government,” Senator King said. “I strongly encourage Maine students apply for USSYP so they can build upon their experience and help make a difference for their communities and for our country.”

Each of the 104 student delegates will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship, in addition to the all-expenses paid trip to the nation’s capital where they will visit Capitol Hill, the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department, the Supreme Court, and other historic sites in Washington. They will meet with senators, cabinet officers, government leaders, policy-makers, and participate in a meeting with a Justice of the Supreme Court. The USSYP is fully funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. More than 5,500 students have participated in the leadership program since its creation in 1962.

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 2016-2017 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.

Interested students should contact their high school principal or the state-level selection administrator:

Mr. Joe Schmidt
Social Studies Content Specialist
Maine Department of Education
(207) 624-6828
Joe.Schmidt@maine.gov

The Maine selection deadline is October 20, 2017.

The 2018 program brochure with detailed rules, selection process and the annual yearbook may be accessed at: www.ussenateyouth.org.

In March 2017, Senators Collins and King met with Lily Tedford of South Portland and Katie Waeldner of Yarmouth, Maine’s 2017 delegates to the 55th Annual USSYP.

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