United States Senate Youth Program
In 1962, the United States Senate voted unanimously to endorse a nationwide youth program to bring high school students to Washington, DC for a brief introduction to the functions of the federal government. The program was created and authorized by Senate Resolution 234 and has been reauthorized ever since. The original resolution specified that the program be "supported by private funds with no expense to the federal government". As a result, The Hearst Foundations assumed financial support of the program and continues its sponsorship today.
The annual United States Senate Youth Program authorizes the selection of 104 student delegates, two from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Office of Dependents Schools. The delegates are immersed in Washington activities throughout their week-long stay. Their stops include visits to the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, and the Pentagon. Delegates hear major addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials of the Department of State and the Department of Defense, as well as other federal departments.
Each year, the Hearst Foundations pay all expenses for the week-long Washington stay, including transportation, hotel accommodations, and meals. Members of all branches of the US military chaperone the students for the week. Each delegate is awarded a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate studies.
The 63rd Annual Washington Week will be March 1-8, 2025.
Basic Qualifications
The student must:
- be serving in an elected or appointed position representing a constituency during the entire 2024-2025 school year;
- be a junior or senior attending high school in Texas during the 2024-2025 school year;
- be interested in and participating in leadership, public service and government related activities;
- be able to attend the entire 2025 Washington Week in March 2025; and
- have US citizenship or legal permanent residence status on application date.
Additional information and program rules:
Texas Application Process
Please contact your high school principal to determine if you will be the sole choice to represent your school as the candidate for the US Senate Youth Program (USSYP). The principal's signature is a requirement on the application, so communicating with your school officials should be your first step.
As part of that discussion, you and your principal (or counselor or Student Council Advisor) will review the details of your leadership roles in relationship to the eligibility requirements set forth in the 2025 USSYP Brochure (PDF).
United States Senate Youth Program Texas Delegates
2024 Delegate
2024 Delegate
2023 Delegate
2023 Delegate
| School Year | Delegates | Alternates |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | Samantha Mujica, Lytle ISD Colin Shen, Clear Creek ISD |
Emma Corbell, Frisco ISD Madelyn White, Brazosport ISD |
| 2022-2023 | John Thomas Borowitz, II, Texarkana ISD Sonya Kulkarni, Houston ISD |
Jonah Espinoza, Northside ISD Kaitlyn Hou, Plano ISD |
| 2021-2022 | Krupali Kumar, Round Rock ISD Trevor Dalton Tobey, Midlothian ISD |
Kendall Carll, Lovejoy ISD Thomas Davies, Frisco ISD |
| 2020-2021 | Sara Beth Beasley, Medina Valley ISD Xuechen Yin, Westlake ISD |
Shania Diane Hurtado, Klein ISD Derek Whitman, Ysleta ISD |
| 2019-2020 | Kendyll Locke, Crowley ISD Jenna Williamson, Texarkana ISD |
Anna Alves, Clear Creek ISD Maggi Gallaspy, Hardin-Jefferson ISD |
| 2018-2019 | Jarret Carnes, Whitehouse ISD Ema Waring, Azle ISD |
Jonah Riojas, McAllen ISD Jacob Reese, Canton ISD |
| 2017-2018 | Kendall Haase, Bastrop ISD James Williamson, Texarkana ISD |
Marina Hernandez, Granbury ISD Kwame Ambaah, Northwest ISD |
| 2016-2017 | Ricky Cooks Jr, Texarkana ISD Amina Mabizari, Alief ISD |
Rebecca Brady, Bastrop ISD Aurelio Angel, Teague ISD |
| 2015-2016 | Cesia Flores, South Texas ISD Corina Lobo, San Antonio ISD |
James Schmidt, Arlington ISD Maheen Khizar, South Texas ISD |
| 2014-2015 | Jocelyn Hernandez-Vasquez, North East ISD Vance Vaughan, Fort Bend ISD |
Pauline Lota, Lubbock ISD Cade Palmer, White Oak ISD |
| 2013-2014 | Sachin Gupta, Northwest ISD Sarah Lanford, Spring Branch ISD |
Lisa Michaels, Plano ISD William Wu, Clear Creek ISD |
| 2012-2013 | Pooja M. Patel, Midland ISD John Getz, Lubbock-Cooper ISD |
Sachin Gupta, Northwest ISD William Wu, Clear Creek ISD |
| 2011-2012 | Hayden Greer, Hardin Jefferson ISD Hailey Stevenson, Leander ISD |
Santiago Garcia, Fort Bend ISD Amy Cindy Chyao, Plano ISD |
| 2010-2011 | Braydon Jones, Texarkana ISD Joyce Kim, Allen ISD |
Lillian Simon, Humble ISD Rhonda Hooper, Lindale ISD |
| 2009-2010 | William Ashford Hayes, Denton ISD Jenny My Le, Clear Creek ISD |
Chandler Nunez, Sinton ISD Joyce Kim, Allen ISD |
Content Updated 8/12/2024
Texas Association of Secondary School Principals
donna@tassp.org
Texas Education Agency
College, Career, and Military Preparation
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