Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal announced this week that Elizabeth Bradley, from Hamilton High School in Chandler, and Benjamin Horwitz, from BASIS School in Oro Valley, have been selected as delegates for the 51st Annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). The program will be held from March 9-16, 2013 in Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth Bradley, a senior at Hamilton High School in Phoenix, holds several leadership positions at her school. As Speech Captain her primary responsibilities is to help train 35 underclassmen during each debate meeting. When she ran for the position she knew she would not have as much time for her own activities but wanted to give the underclassmen the same opportunity she once had. Elizabeth plans on attending college and pursuing a degree in Political Science and hopes to attain an internship on Capitol Hill.
Benjamin Horwitz, a senior at BASIS Oro Valley in Tucson, is actively involved in several school committees and serves as his school’s National Honor Society president. He recently participated in AZ Boys’ State, an educational program in government instruction, where he realized a passion for serving his community. He plans to pursue higher education before setting out to prove that the role of government is truly for the benefit of the people and that politicians can be honest, faithful and effective.
Chosen as alternates to the 2013 Senate Youth Program were Rajan Sheth, who also attends Hamilton High School in Chandler, and Lindsey Bressler, who attends University High School in Tucson.
The USSYP, established by U.S. Senate Resolution in 1962, is a unique educational experience for outstanding high school students interested in pursuing careers in public service.
Elizabeth and Benjamin will be joining two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity, to spend a week in Washington experiencing our national government in action. Student delegates will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, as well as participate in a meeting with a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
All transportation, hotel and meal expenses will be provided by The Hearst Foundation. In addition, each delegate will also be awarded a $5,000 college scholarship for undergraduate studies.