United States Senate Youth Program

About the Program

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) administers the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) for the State of Oregon. The U.S. Senate Youth Program is an annual scholarship competition funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and endorsed by the U.S. Senate. Each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity select two high school juniors or seniors to participate in the program.

All high school juniors and seniors must be nominated by their high school principal or designated school official in order to apply for the program. Nominated students must be active in elected or appointed leadership positions that relate to government, public affairs, education and/or community service.

United States Senate Youth Program. Education. Leadership. Public Service.

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) Washington Week will be held online the week of March 14-18, 2021. Two students from each state will be selected to attend the online program and each will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship. Students may qualify to apply through leadership positions they currently hold per the USSYP official criteria for the current 2020-2021 academic year. If students are unable to hold leadership positions this year due to the pandemic, they can submit the position they held during the 2019-2020 academic year. All student leadership qualifying positions are subject to the judgement of the state selection administrator and will be verified and confirmed. Two Oregon alternates and up to two finalists will also receive a $200 cash award.