Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Encourages High School Students to apply for the 2024-25 U.S. Senate Youth Program Scholarship

• Brian O'Leary
• August 12 2024

HELENA – Superintendent Elsie Arntzen is encouraging Junior and Senior high school student leaders to apply for the 2024-25 United States Senate Youth Program [vmm0dj30.r.us-west-2.awstrack.me] (USSYP) Scholarship. The two students chosen to represent Montana will each receive a $10,000 college scholarship along with a required Washington Week Program, March 1-8, 2025. Applications [vmm0dj30.r.us-west-2.awstrack.me] close on October 7, 2024, and awards will be announced in January 2025.

“The U.S. Senate Youth Program is a hands-on learning opportunity focused on civics,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “This program is an investment in the future of our great state and nation. I encourage all of our Montana students to apply today.”

To qualify [vmm0dj30.r.us-west-2.awstrack.me]for the USSYP, students must:

• Be a junior or senior in a Montana public, private, or charter high school. 
• Hold a leadership position in any one of the following student government, civic, or educational organizations. Leadership roles are subject to verification and judgment of the state selection administrator.
  • Student body president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer
  • Class president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer
  • Student Council representative
  • National Honor Society officer
  • Student representative elected or appointed (by a panel, commission, or board) to a local, district, regional, state-level civic, service, and/or educational organization
• Be a permanent resident of the United States at the time of application
• Be a Montana resident at the time of application

The USSYP Washington Week Program includes meetings with senators, the president, Cabinet secretaries, a Supreme Court Justice, senior members of the national media, and other policymakers. Students are encouraged to use the scholarship to continue their education in history, government, and public affairs.

The 2024 USSYP awardees from Montana were:

• Faith You, who was a junior at Hellgate High School in Missoula and served as the president of the Junior Class.
• Jesse McCormick, who was a senior at Sentinel High School in Missoula and served as a youth member of the Missoula Energy and Climate team.

For information about the Montana USSYP Scholarship, please contact Kristen Bokovoy, USSYP Coordinator, at Kristen.Bokovoy2@mt.gov or (406) 444-2417.