THE UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM

Welcome To The Fall 2014 Question & Answer Webinar Addressing The Selection Process

For North Carolina Student Candidates

What Will We Cover In Today’s Webinar?

North Carolina’s entry submission materials

North Carolina’s application (Form A)

Criteria for North Carolina’s essay (Form B)The intent

Things to consider when writing

The digital presentation (Form C)Expectations

Guidelines

Questions from the webinar participants

North Carolina’s Official Senate Youth Site

http://senateyouthnc.webs.com/http://senateyouthnc.webs.com/

All Information & Application Materials Can

Found On The North Carolina Senate Youth

Website

Two Students Will Be Selected To Represent North Carolina As U.S. Senate Youth Delegates

N.C. will select two Senate Youth delegates and two alternates.Two winners will serve as North Carolina delegates to Washington, D.C. in March

Alternate #1 will serve if one of the delegates is unable to go to Washington, D.C. in March

Alternate #2 will serve in the event that either alternate #1 cannot go Washington, D.C. in March or if the second delegate is unable to attend.

The two student delegates also receive a $5000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue their studies in government and history.

Q. May I Apply for the Senate Youth opportunity in N.C.?A. YES. If you are a high school junior or senior, enrolled in a North Carolina public, private or public charter school and your parent/guardian is a resident of North Carolina.

Q. Do I need to be nominated by my guidance counselor, principal, teacher or school official in order to apply for the Senate Youth opportunity in N.C.?A. NO. In North Carolina, students DO NOT have to be nominated or chosen by anyone to apply for the Senate Youth opportunity.

Q. How do students obtain applications and required entry materials?A. Applications may be obtained in the following ways:

By downloading entry documents from the website themselvesBy asking a school official to download and print copies of entry documents for themBy asking anyone with access to a computer and printer to download and print copies of entry documents for them

Read eligibility requirementsNational Senate Youth Requirements

http://www.ussenateyouth.org/selection_process_qualify.php

North Carolina Senate Youth Requirementshttp://senateyouthnc.webs.com/applicationprocess.htm

May I apply for the Senate Youth Opportunity In N.C.?

Downloading Application & Entry Forms

Believe it or not students forget to fill

out their name.

Don’t forget to send in an appropriate

head and shoulder photo.

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.

Students often forget the required signatures.

Avoid Common Application Mishaps

Your essay must: 1. Be typed. 2. Be double spaced. 3. Have your name typed at the top of both pages. 4. Not exceed two pages. A cover page and works cited page are not required. However, if

you choose to provide them they will not be a part of the page count. 5. Provide support/evidence that offers historical, contemporary and current examples when

explaining your chosen evidence. 6. Cite your sources and documents used with American Psychological Association (APA)

citations.

The Required Essay 2014 Essay Prompt:  

(Please note that a bibliography will be considered separate and will not count as part of the two pages for the essay.)

One of the most fundamental elements of a constitutional democracy is citizen participation in government. It is the most important role of citizens living in a democracy. It is not only a right, but a duty. In a constitutional democracy, productive civic engagement requires knowledge of the history, principles, and foundations of our American democracy, and the ability to participate in civic and democratic processes. Americans demonstrate civic engagement when they address public problems individually and collaboratively and when they work to maintain, strengthen, and improve their communities and the communities of others. A common belief of those living in a constitutional democracy is that it is the participation of its citizens that builds a better democracy. Based on this common belief, prepare an essay that presents the role of citizens in the U.S. political system, with attention to various theories of democracy, changes in American’s participation over time, and the role young Americans, 16 to 24, can play in addressing political and societal problems or issues at the local, state, tribal, national or global levels.

Remember this is what your essay must address.

Digital Presentation Pointers

 

Students are asked to make sure of the following:

That the presentation is submitted via the email address provided : ncsenateyouth@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.

Photo & Media Release Form

What Happens After I Submit My Entry?

My materials have been submitted. Now what?First round of reviewSecond round of reviewPhase I of the selection process -Essays are read and judged

The top 6 are selected to move on to the next phasePhase II of the selection process –Interview with a panel of judges and taking an examNotification of the two winners sent to the Hearst FoundationNotification of the two winners sent to the winners, their schools and superintendentsPress Release sent to the school districts of the winners

Remember: Submissions Are Due October 12, 2014

Any questions or concerns you may have after this webinar please

contact Michelle McLaughlinat michelle.mclaughlin@dpi.nc.gov.

What are some of your questions?

We look forward to receiving your applications on or before

October 12, 2014.

North Carolina Thanks You For Attending Our Senate Youth Informational Webinar

The following are some of the questions asked…

QuestionI 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?AnswerI 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 theywould 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.

QuestionOn 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?AnswerYou will note that the application asks for a letter ofsupport/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 aletter of recommendation.

QuestionCan the letters of recommendations be sent to you (Ms. McLaughlin) electronically and by mail, separate from my application?AnswerApplicants 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 theletters because we need the original with the signatures.

Questions Continued

Questions From Webinar Participants…

The following are some of the questions asked…QuestionMy 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 theHearst exam.AnswerTaking AP Government or another AP course is not a requirementto 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. 

QuestionHow many questions are in the exam, and what is theduration of the exam?AnswerThe 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.

QuestionIs 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? AnswerThe 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?AnswerYou 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

Questions From Webinar Participants…

The following are some of the questions asked…

QuestionDoes 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?AnswerNo. 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.

QuestionFor the video/digital presentation, is it ok if I play out what I usually do, because Ido not have any footage of my community service, etc?  AnswerGood 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.

 

QuestionIf we get called to come to Raleigh for an interview is theinterview with the panel of judges formal?AnswerYes. 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.

QuestionWhat types of questions or information does the exam focusupon?  AnswerThe 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.