Dear High School Principals, Counselors, and Scholarship Coordinators:

2022 United States Senate Youth Program

I am pleased to announce the 2022 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the California Department of Education (CDE) coordinates this program for outstanding juniors or seniors who are interested in pursuing careers in public service. All public and private high schools in the state are invited to nominate up to two juniors or seniors to participate.

Two students from each state will be selected to attend this unique educational experience, and each student will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship. The 60th annual Washington Week will take place March 5–12, 2022, with current planning for a national selection process and an in-person program in Washington, D.C., pending public health and safety guidelines for travel and indoor gatherings.

Students must be nominated by their high school principal and must be currently serving in an elected or appointed leadership capacity in a student government, civic, or educational organization for the entire 2021–22 school year. In addition, nominated students must be United States citizens or permanent residents and currently enrolled in a California public or private secondary school. Four finalists, consisting of two delegates and a first alternate and second alternate, will be selected by the CDE to be California’s USSYP representatives.

The application and scholarship information on the 2022 USSYP may be found on the CDE USSYP web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/us/. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, October 6, 2021.

If you have any questions regarding the USSYP, please send an email to ussyp@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction