Senate Youth Program 2012
As a senior at Caribou High School, I participated in a program that would change my life. It is called the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), and this year it celebrates its 50th anniversary. During a recent celebration in Washington, D.C., I met this year’s delegates from Maine, Adam Cohen of Scarborough and Julia Brown of Brunswick. I also had the opportunity to address the entire USSYP Class of 2012 and explain just how much this program means to me.
Sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the Senate Youth Program is a competitive merit-based program that brings 104 of the most outstanding high school students to Washington, D.C., for an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it. 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.
When I was chosen to participate, I had never flown on an airplane, had never been to Washington, and had never met a U.S. Senator. But I had learned from my parents, both of whom were actively serving community, state, and non-profit organizations, the importance of getting involved. I was president of the student council and active in other school organizations as well.
One of the highlights of Washington Week, as it’s called, is always the opportunity to meet with Senators from one’s home state. I was fortunate to have had the chance to meet with a true giant of the Senate, Senator Margaret Chase Smith. She was the first woman to serve in both the House and the Senate, the first woman to serve on the Armed Services Committee, and the first woman to have her name entered into nomination for President by a major party. After my meeting with Senator Smith, the foundation of public service instilled in me by my parents had been solidified forever. I am truly honored to hold her seat today.
I know this is an opportunity that Adam and Julia will remember forever, and I am confident that it will inspire them to continue their already impressive involvement in public service.
Adam, who attends Scarborough High School, serves as the class president and the student school board representative. In addition, he is the Maine U.N. president, Mock Trial captain, and Student Congress speech and debate captain. He plans to attend college in the Washington, D.C. area, and pursue a degree in political science and economics.
Julia, who attends Brunswick High School, serves as the student government's liaison to the Brunswick School Board. She has also been president of the Youth Advocacy Program, a member of the Maine Youth Tobacco Council, student representative to the Wellness Committee, and secretary of the Theater Project Youth Board.
I congratulate Adam and Julia. Through this program, they are able to see a side of the federal government that too often gets lost in news reports that focus solely on conflict and division. Although Senators come from different parties and different parts of the country, we are united by a dedication to serving our nation.
When I participated in the program, I had no idea that one day my fellow Mainers would elect me to represent them in the U.S. Senate. As the first former Senate Youth Program delegate who went on to serve in the U.S. Senate, I am able to see the lasting effect this trip will have on these students. In my closing remarks to the Class of 2012, I passed on some encouraging words that Senator Smith once told me: “Stand tall for what you believe, and that will always lead you down the right path.”
