The United States Senate Youth Program is pleased to announce that high school students Emmett Cook Appel and Sam Drummey will join U.S. Sen. Susan M. Collins and U.S. Sen. Angus S. King in representing Maine during the 63rd annual USSYP Washington Wee, to be held March 1-8. Appel of Windsor and Drummey of Biddeford were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation that will attend meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court, leaders of cabinet agencies, and other officials throughout the week. Each delegate will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.
The USSYP was founded in 1962 by the sons of William Randolph Hearst and the senate leadership of the day — U.S. Sens. Kuchel, Mansfield, Dirksen, and Humphrey — in response to the deep divisiveness and national anxiety following the McCarthy era. They outlined a plan to encourage America’s most talented young people to consider public services as an important, life-long, and noble pursuit, sponsoring Senate Resolution 324, which passed unanimously. As stated in founding testimony, the program strives “to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, learn the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and emphasize the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world.”
Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program provides two outstanding high school students from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity with an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it. Each student will also receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history, and public affairs. The Hearst Foundations have fully funded the program since inception; as stipulated, no government funds are utilized. (United State Senate Resolution 324)
Appel, a senior at Erskine Academy, serves as the president of the Student Council. His leadership positions include Environmental Club president and co-founder, Math Team president, International Outreach Coalition Vice president, Youth in Government member, first chair in saxophone in Jazz Band, and soccer team captain. He has played varsity level all four years in baseball, soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. He received the Rensselaer Medal, given for expertise in science and mathematics, the George Eastman Young Leaders Award and was competitively selected for research positions at MDI Biological Labs, and the Keller BLOOM program at Bigelow Labs. He was chief of staff at Dirigo State and worked as a rural youth activist at JustME for Justus. Appel sees a future of aiding society through politics and public service. He plans to pursue a liberal arts education where he can further his passion in both policy and STEM. He plans to enroll in law school perhaps becoming a lobbyist and/or someday run for political office.
