Educational Opportunities
Presidential Scholars
The Presidential Scholars Program is a nonpartisan, public-private partnership designed to recognize and provide leadership development experiences for some of America's most outstanding graduating high-school seniors. Check out our Georgia Scholars.
National Youth Leadership Council
For more than two decades, NYLC has led a movement linking youths, educators, and communities to redefine the role of young people in society. That movement is service-learning, and it empowers youths to transform themselves from recipients of information and resources into valuable, contributing members of a democracy.
Governors Intern Program
The Governor's Intern Program, initiated in 1971, provides the best, brightest, and most ambitious college and law students with practical professional experience before they enter the working world. Entering the 34th year of operation, the Governor's Intern Program offers invaluable work experience each semester in numerous state agencies throughout Georgia.
Congressional Youth Leadership Council
The Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC) offers educational leadership conferences for an elite group of outstanding young people from across the country and around the world, whose nomination provides them with unmatched enrichment opportunities in a distinguished academic environment.
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program
This unique program provides 250 full scholarships for American high school students to live with a host family and attend school in Germany for a year. As a Congress-Bundestag student, you'll gain real world views of current affairs and German social, political and economic life. Whether or not you've studied German before, your language skills will soar, giving you the lifelong asset of fluency in a second language.
United States Senate Youth Program
The United States Senate Youth Program is an excellent opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to deepen their knowledge of the Senate and the federal government overall, as well as receive a one-time five thousand dollar college scholarship to the undergraduate college of their choice. Begun in 1962 through Senate Resolution, the program is sponsored by the Senate each year to encourage high school students to pursue careers in public service.
Two high school juniors or seniors are selected each year from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity to serve as delegates to Washington Week, a week-long educational program that takes place in Washington, D.C. 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 their communities and show academic interest and aptitude in government, history and politics. 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.
Interested students in Georgia should contact their high school principal or the state-level selection administrator: Dr. Joseph W. Searle, Jr, Director, Governor's Honors Program, Georgia Department of Education, 1862 Twin Towers East, Atlanta, GA 30334, (404) 657-0183.