WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Thad Cochran, R-Miss., today encouraged eligible Mississippi high school students to apply for the 2017 U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP).

Two Mississippi high school students will be selected to represent the state at the 55th annual USSYP Washington Week in Washington, D.C., and receive a $10,000 undergraduate scholarship. High school seniors or juniors involved in student government, civic or educational organizations are eligible for the week-long program. The selection process is, in part, based on academic achievement, leadership capabilities and public service.

“The Senate Youth Program inspires students to develop leadership skills and get more involved in their communities,” said Wicker, who serves as the Senate co-chair of the 2017 program. “Young Mississippians who are chosen for this educational experience will benefit from the opportunity to learn more about our government and the value of public service.”

“The U.S. Senate Youth Program can be a valuable opportunity for students to learn firsthand about American government,” Cochran said. “I encourage all eligible students to apply for this prestigious scholarship program.”

The U.S. Senate established the program in 1962 to introduce student leaders to the federal government and public policy. The USSYP Washington Week program includes meetings with U.S. Senators, a Supreme Court Justice, cabinet secretaries, and other policymakers.

The USSYP includes scholarships and a week-long trip (March 4-11, 2017) to Washington for each of the 104 delegates from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity. The non-profit Hearst Foundation fully funds and administers the USSYP.

Mississippi’s 2016 Senate Youth Program delegates were Joseph Hasbrouck of Pascagoula and Jackson Wilkins of Hattiesburg.

Interested students can visit www.ussenateyouth.org for more information or access the 2017 USSYP brochure outlining the rules and selection process information here: http://bit.ly/2aD9E5F. The deadline to apply for the USSYP program is Sept. 30, 2016.

Students may also contact their high school principal or Mississippi’s state-level selection administrator:

Ms. Tiffany Jones
Director of Teacher Recruitment
Mississippi Department of Education
(601) 359-3631
TTJones@mdek12.org