Local student selected as delegate for youth senate program
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Mollie Lemm of Polson is part of a youth program that will travel to Washington, D.C.
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News from the Hearst Foundation
WASHINGTON D.C. — Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines recently announced the two Montana student delegates to the 54th annual United States Senate Youth Program that will be held March 5-12 in Washington, D.C.
Mollie Lemm of Polson and Arthur Pettit of Missoula were chosen from across the state to be part of the group of 104 student delegates who will attend the program’s 54th annual Washington Week.
Lemm is a senior at Polson High currently serving as a Senior Class representative. She is involved in speech and debate, and is currently working as an intern at the Valley Journal in Ronan. Mollie is passionate about writing, the environment, and bettering her school and community. Her future goals include seeing as much of the world as possible and examining how politics and the environment shape society. She plans to pursue a degree in journalism.
Pettit is a senior at Loyola Sacred Heart High School and serves as the Student Body vice president. Additionally he is a member of the Key Club, participates in speech and debate, and writes for the school newspaper. He plans to study international relations in college.
Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program brings 104 of the most outstanding high school students — two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity — to Washington, D.C. for an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it.
While in Washington the student delegates attend meetings and briefings with Senators, House Representatives and Congressional staff, the President, a Justice of the Supreme Court, leaders of cabinet agencies, an Ambassador to the United States and senior members of the national media. The students will also tour many of the national monuments and several museums and they will stay at the historic Mayflower Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C.
The overall mission of the program is to help instill within each class of USSYP student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service. In addition to the program week, The Hearst Foundations provide each student with a $5,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs. Transportation and all expenses for Washington Week are also provided by The Hearst Foundations; as stipulated in S.Res.324; no government funds are utilized.
The chief educational officer in each state selects the delegates after nomination by teachers and principals. This year’s delegates were designated by Ms. Denise Juneau, Superintendent of Public Instruction.
In addition to exceptional leadership abilities and a strong commitment to volunteer work, the student delegates generally rank academically in the top one percent of their states among high school juniors and seniors. Now more than 5,000 strong, alumni of the program continue to excel and develop impressive qualities that are often directed toward public service.
Members of the USSYP 2016 54th annual Senate Advisory Committee are: Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado, Republican Co-Chair; Senator Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii, Democratic Co-Chair; Senate Advisory Members: Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Michael B. Enzi (R-WY), David Perdue (R-GA), Tim Scott (R-SC), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Robert P. Casey (D-PA), Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT).
Each year, the Honorary Co-Chairs of the program are the Vice President of the United States and the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders.
Distinguished alumni of the annual United States Senate Youth Program
