3. Areas Covered In This Information Session The purpose of the Senate Youth Program Qualifications to apply to attend the program Walk through the N.C. application Discuss some suggestions for submitting a good essay Discuss the guidelines and expectations for the digital presentation Discuss how to submit via mail and online Questions and concerns from the attendees
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5. Alternate #2will serve in the event that either alternate #1 cannot go to Washington in March or if the second delegate is unable to attend.The student delegates also receive a $5000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue their studies in government and history.
6. Can I Apply? Students DO NOT have to be selected by anyone to be eligible to apply for Senate Youth program/scholarship! All any student needs to get started is an application and the appropriate forms used in the N.C. selection process. Students only need to meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the national U.S. Senate Youth guidelines and any additional eligibility requirements stipulated by the N.C. Senate Youth Delegate selection process! Read eligibility requirements here: National Senate Youth Requirements http://www.ussenateyouth.org/selection_process_qualify.php North Carolina Senate Youth Requirements http://senateyouthnc.webs.com/applicationprocess.htm
7. The Selection Process The Hearst Foundation’s general guidelines ofhow are the student delegates can be selected? Public and private high school teachers and principals nominate qualified students beginning in early fall. To qualify students must hold student body office or another elected or appointed position in theircommunities and show academic interest and aptitude in government, history and politics. Many states administer a comprehensive public affairs, government and history test prepared annually for the program by a college professor of political science and states may also ask for additional essays and/or personal interviews. The chief state school officer in each state makes the final selection by December 1. The program is merit-based and highly competitive and the chosen delegates are consistently outstanding. The NC Department of Public Instruction’s guidelines of how are the student delegates will be selected? Public, private or charter school teachers, guidance counselors and principals nominate or inform qualified juniors or seniors beginning in early fall. Students who feel they are qualified may apply without being nominated, but must have their GPA verified and signatures on their completed applications from their principal, guidance counselor, supporting teacher, and a sponsor from a student government, civic or political organization. Must be a junior or senior in high school who shows academic interest and aptitude in government, history and politics and who is currentlyserving in an elected or appointed capacity in student government or a related school or community organization. See: Eligibility in NC Complete applications must be submitted by the deadline determined. Applicants are notified as to whether the submitted application and materials are accepted or not accepted. Applications begin a process of review and judging in Phase I. Candidates are selected from Phase I to continue on to Phase II. Candidates selected to continue on to Phase II are invited to interview in Raleigh before a panel of judges. Candidates interview and take a qualifying exam. Judges determine the two (2) candidates who will represent NC in Washington, D.C. as well as the two (2) alternates. The NC state school superintendent validates the decision of the panel of judges. The NC Department of Public Instruction’s Senate Youth coordinator notifies the Hearst Foundation by December 1. The Hearst Foundation validates the decision and gives NCDPI approval to notify the selected delegates and alternates. NCDPI sends a press release statement to each selected delegate’s local superintendent and school communication department for their local publication. The program is merit-based and highly competitive and the chosen delegates are consistently outstanding.
8. All applications are DUE October 8, 2011 Submission prior to October 8 is recommended This will help anyone who may experience technology glitches or failure of any portion of a submission to reach its electronic destination. Make sure that your 2011 application looks like this…. You may find a copy in WORD and PDF at this link: http://senateyouthnc.webs.com/20112012forms.htm
9. Avoid Common Application Mishaps In the past students have mailed in their information and did not fulfill the electronic submission that is also required. No application will be considered without both submissions. Both submissions must meet deadline requirements. Don’t forget to send in an appropriate head and shoulder photo. Believe it or not students forget to fill out their name. Students often forget the required signatures.
10. The Essay 2011 Essay Prompt: The framers of the U.S. Constitution created a presidency that must win cooperation from the U.S. Congress to get the work of government done. The relationship between the U.S. president and its Congress is the most important one in the American political system. Each applicant’s essay must: 1. Be typed 2. Be double spaced 3. Not exceed two pages 4. Provide support that offers historical, contemporary and current examples. (Any bibliography will be considered separate and will not count as part of the two pages for the essay.)
11. Digital Presentation Pointers Students are asked to make sure of the following: That the presentation is submitted via the email address provided : mmclaughlin81@gmail.com. That all hyperlinks work. That volume if used is loud enough to be adjusted up or down on any computer. That if a presentation is submitted using a link such as you tube, slide share, etc. it be a link in which the selection committee has the ability to download.
12. Let’s Walk Through The Website A website for easy online access to information that an interested Candidatewould need has been developed to provide direct access to the application, requirements, eligibility, qualifications, and links to the Hearst Foundation. Let’s briefly walk through the actual website together. If you have any questions as we go through the website feel free to type it into the chat box provided in the webinar dialogue box. http://senateyouthnc.webs.com/20112012forms.htm
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14. Let’s Discuss What To Expect In Washington, D.C. What happens during Washington Week? Washington Week is an intensive week of educational activities in the nation's capital encompassing the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government as well as a perspective on America from abroad. Events include meeting with the Senate Co-Chairs, Senate leadership and Senate parliamentarian and historian, a Justice of the Supreme Court, the President, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and other executive agencies, a foreign ambassador to the U.S. and senior members of the media. At each event the question and answer session is extensive giving the students direct interaction with the speaker. A highlight of the week is the annual Senate Youth Program Reception. The Department of Defense provides a team of selected military officers to accompany the delegates throughout the program. I’m really interested in… Travel Dress/Attire Activities/Events School Absence (Should Be Coded Excused) Check out the “Washington Week: Photos” available online at the Hearst Foundation to get a better impression of the type of dress code to expect at all times, the types of environments and activities you will be involved in, as well as the types of places you will visit and people you will meet. “Washington Week: Photos”http://www.ussenateyouth.org/washington_photo.php
15. Time For Questions & Concerns From Webinar Participants What are some of your questions? Any questions or concerns you may have after this webinar please contact Michelle McLaughlin at michelle.mclaughlin@dpi.nc.gov
16. Questions & Concerns From Webinar Participants… The following are some of the questions asked… Question I have been a member of student government for 3 years but this year we have a new advisor should I get my letter from the new advisor or the old one? Answer I would suggest that you ask the advisor/sponsor that you feel the most comfortable with giving you a recommendation. If you choose your new advisor, who may not be as familiar with the work you have done, you may like to ask them if they would like for you to provide them with a list of the accomplishments and contributions, etc. that you have had in working with the student government organization in your school. This may help them write a strong letter of recommendation. You may also try to contact the previous advisor to see if they will write a letter for you. Question On the website it says that applicants need to send two letters of support. What exactly should those letters be about and who should they be from? Answer You will note that the application asks for a letter of support/recommendation from an adult who is the sponsor of the club or organization that you are using as a primary piece of support on your application and a letter from a teacher who can support your academic achievement in a letter of recommendation. Question Can the letters of recommendations be sent to you (Ms. McLaughlin) electronically and by mail, separate from my application? Answer Applicants should be sure to send in their 2 letters of support both electronically as well as sending them in with their mailed application. We need the hardcopies of the letters because we need the original with the signatures. Questions Continued
17. Questions & Concerns From Webinar Participants… The following are some of the questions asked… Question My school has not offered AP Government class, therefore I am wondering if I would be a competitive candidate when other candidates have already taken AP Govt. in preparation for the Hearst exam. Answer Taking AP Government or another AP course is not a requirement to apply nor can it be considered a guarantee that any candidate who has taken such a course will have an advantage over a candidate who has not taken such a course. Each candidate will have to stand on his/her own merit, accomplishments, academic achievements, knowledge of U.S. government, politics and current events, and the desire to excel. Question How many questions are in the exam, and what is the duration of the exam? Answer The exam in divided into five parts and each part is timed. There may be anywhere from 60 to 80 questions. The exam is objective (multiple choice and true-false). Some years may see the use of the essay exam questions. However, we tend to ask candidates to write a formal essay on a current issue or political practice as a part of the original submission. Question Is there anything that you look for specifically in the application? What usually makes an application stand out to you? Are there any activities that you suggest I do before I turn in my application? Answer The best advice that I can share with you is to make certain to follow directions and answer all questions and sections of the process completely. Make sure that you get all requested signatures. Question In the last 2 years, did all of the student winners take AP Government courses in their high school? If not, what types of AP courses had they completed prior to taking the Hearst Foundation exam in November? Answer You do not have to worry about not having taken AP Government. That fact will not hurt you. Actually, only one of the winners in the past two year took AP government. That is not a requirement. So do not worry if you are not taking that course. AP courses are neither a requirement nor a means of any type of advantage in this process. Questions Continued
18. Questions & Concerns From Webinar Participants… The following are some of the questions asked… Question If we get called to come to Raleigh for an interview is the interview with the panel of judges formal? Answer Yes. Candidates should dress in their best interview attire. If you review some of the footage of delegates in D.C. you will get an idea of how to dress. Always put your best foot forward. Question What types of questions or information does the exam focus upon? Answer The exam is already developed when it is sent to me and is made by the Hearst Foundation based on what they see as important in assessing a student's knowledge of U.S. government. The exam questions are sent to us by the Hearst Foundation. The questions seek to test your knowledge of the history of government, presidents and presidencies, how government is run, branches of government, current events issues in government, landmark Supreme Court cases and decisions, current justices and their views and how they usually vote, current cabinet members and major leadership positions in congress and who holds them, names of local current and newly elected government officials, etc. There is also a section that has been developed to focus on local NC government and NC government officials. The expectation of a finalist is that being a junior or senior you are knowledgeable of U.S. History and U.S. as well as your local government. Question Does the same guidance counselor have to sign both the space on the application to verify the GPA and the space for the counselor’s signature? Answer No. You can have the same counselor who verified your GPA to proofread and sign your completed application, but it does not have to be the same person. The rationale for this answer is that by the time you get ready for the counselor to proof and sign your completed application the same person may not be available and you will want to get things signed and in the mail. Question For the video/digital presentation, is it ok if I play out what I usually do, because I do not have any footage of my community service, etc? Answer Good question. If I understand you correctly, you want to know if you can act out what you usually do in some type of dramatization representing things your do and participate in. That is acceptable and it sounds very creative. A great way to think about representing yourself in a presentation if you do not have any photos or video that you can access.
19. Thank You For Attending Our “Senate Youth Informational Webinar” We look forward to receiving your applications on or before October 8, 2011.
