THE UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM (USSYP)

INTRODUCTION

Established in 1962 by U.S. Senate Resolution, the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is an intensive week-long educational experience and scholarship sponsored by the United States Senate for outstanding high school students who are interested in pursuing careers in public service. Two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity will spend a week in Washington experiencing their national government in action. Student delegates will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, as well as usually participate in meetings with the president and a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. All transportation, hotel and meal expenses will be provided by The Hearst Foundations. In addition, each delegate will also be awarded a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate studies, with encouragement to pursue coursework in history and political science. The 63rd annual United States Senate Youth Program Washington Week will be held in person in Washington, D.C. March 1 – 8, 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

Qualified high school junior or seniors must show demonstrated leadership by serving in elected or appointed positions in which they are actively representing or previously represented a constituency in organizations related to student government, education, public affairs and community service. They must be actively serving in qualified leadership positions, enrolled in high school and living in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the entire 2024 – 2025 academic year. All student leadership positions are subject to the judgement and verification of the state selection administrators.

The DoDEA central administrative office will select the DoDEA delegates and alternates residing overseas. Military dependents who reside and attend schools in the U.S. shall apply for the program under the residency ruling.

Alternate delegates will be selected as replacements if a primary delegate is unable to participate in Washington Week. If the primary delegate is unable to attend, The Hearst Foundations must be notified in advance. Attendance during the entire Washington Week program is required to receive the financial scholarship; appropriate disposition of scholarship funds will be determined by the program director in the event a primary delegate is unable to attend the program due to emergency circumstances, or is dismissed.

Selection will be based on the student’s outstanding abilities and demonstrated qualities of leadership in an elected or appointed high school student office for the entire 2024-2025 school year. The primary purposes of the qualifying leadership position must be representation of a constituency and service to others. A student who graduates high school at the close of the Fall 2024 semester / quarter is not eligible to apply for the program, and students other than DoDEA delegates must be residing in Massachusetts during the entire 2024-2025 academic year to participate.

Any high school junior or senior student is eligible for the program provided he or she has not previously been a delegate to Washington Week and has not received a USSYP scholarship.

Each student must be a legal permanent resident or citizen of the United States at the time of application. Students who are not United States Citizens must be in possession of their I-551 / “green card” at the time of application to be eligible to apply. Students must be enrolled for the entire academic year in a public or independent high school located in Massachusetts. Home-educated students must be approved by the Massachusetts Department of Education to apply.

Additionally, students must meet the following criteria:

1. The student must hold a leadership position for the current 2024-2025 academic year in any one of the following student government, civic or educational organizations during the entire 2024-2025 academic year. All student leadership positions are subject to the judgement and verification of the state selection administrators:

Student Body president, vice president, secretary or treasurer
Class president, vice president, secretary or treasurer
Student Council representative
A National Honor Society officer (including discipline-based Honor Societies such as the National English and Social Studies Honor Societies that include service components)
Student representative elected or appointed (appointed by a panel, commission or board) to a local, district, regional or state-level civic, service and/or educational organization approved by the state selection administrator, where the student holds a high-level position of representation to a constituency in a year-round capacity providing service to others.

2. Participation or holding an officer position in academic clubs and/or educational competition programs/conferences or organizations designed primarily for the student’s personal development and enrichment do not qualify a student for USSYP, although many students who qualify participate in these activities. The positions listed below DO NOT qualify the student for the program:

Attendance or officer position at Boys/Girls Nation or State summer conference
Member of the National Honor Society (serving as an elected officer for the organization for the entire school year is acceptable)
Member or leader of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or a sports team
A founder or chairperson of a self-created group
A participant, captain or officer in Mock Trial, Debate Team, Model U.N. or other academic club, mock legislature, conference or competition where the primary engagement is for the individual educational enrichment or benefit.

3. Exceptions to the residency requirement will only be made in the following cases:

Students from DoDEA overseas will represent the state(s) of which the parents/guardians are U.S. legal voting residents. Students attending DoD schools in the U.S. or students enrolled through U.S. military bases in local schools must be residing in the state in which their school is located for the entire academic year.
Students may reside in a state other than the state in which they attend school if they are enrolled in the only designated public high school available to them in a school district that crosses contiguous state borders through legal interstate agreement. Students in these schools shall make application to the program through the state where the high school is located and shall represent that state if selected.

HOW TO APPLY

Rising high school juniors and seniors may obtain a USSYP application through their high school principals, school counselors and social studies teachers OR they may inquire directly to their state selection contact (see below). All student delegates to the United States Senate Youth Program are selected by state-level education officials – the United States Senate and The Hearst Foundations do not provide individual states’ applications or choose the delegates and alternates.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

October 9, 2024

MASSACHUSETTS STATE-LEVEL CONTACT

Ms. Donna M. Taylor Education Specialist Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education 135 Santilli Highway Everett, 02149 (781) 338-6320 DonnaM.Taylor@mass.gov https://www.doe.mass.edu/scholarships/senate/

MILITARY MENTOR

The Department of Defense (DoD) annually solicits nominations for outstanding officers of the U.S. Armed Forces, ranks O-2 through O-5, to serve as Military Mentors during Washington Week.

Participation in this prestigious program provides military officers the opportunity to exercise their leadership skills while mentoring our nation’s next generation of elected and appointed public servants.

Each year the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs selects 17 officers through a competitive candidate review process. The U.S. Armed Forces typically receive and distribute application instructions to their Service members in September, with candidate packages being due in November and selection announcements taking place in December.

Military Mentor participation in the United States Senate Youth Program is a voluntary public service opportunity that takes place while the Service member is on unit funded travel orders. Meals and lodging during Washington Week program days have historically been provided by the United States Senate Youth Program.

If you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces and are interested in receiving a nomination package, please send an email from you official duty account to the DoD Liaison to the United States Senate Youth Program at: osd.pentagon.pa.mbx.ce-public-inquiries@mail.mil

For more information, please visit the United States Senate Youth Program website here.