The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is opening the application process for its popular “Future Presidents of America” program to high school students in nine central Illinois counties.
The deadline to apply is May 15. The program is open to students from 13 to 16 years old in Sangamon, Cass, Christian, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery and Morgan counties.
Previously, participants in the Future Presidents program had to be nominated by school officials, and only schools in Sangamon and Macon counties took part. But now, students in nine counties can apply on their own. One-third of spaces in the program will be determined by this open application process.
The ALPLM hosts the Future Presidents of America Youth Leadership Camp each summer. Offered through a partnership with the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, the camp is an innovative program to develop individual confidence and good citizenship while revealing the exceptional qualities that make for great leaders.
For five days in June, students meet with leaders in fields like politics, history and the arts. They study Abraham Lincoln’s leadership and impact on history. They are assigned a real problem faced by a local organization and must develop proposals to solve it.
There is no cost to take part.
“The Future Presidents program has introduced some amazing students to new ideas and new possibilities. It’s heartwarming to picture them stepping up as tomorrow’s leaders,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “This new application process will open this opportunity to a wider array of students from a broader geographic area.”
The day camp takes place June 26-30. More details and the application link can be found under the “Learn” tab of the ALPLM’s website: www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov.
“Working with students in the Future Presidents of America program has become a highlight of our year,” said ALPLM Education Director Heather Nice. “We’re excited that students from more of central Illinois will now be able to join us for this week of challenges, growth and fun.”
The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and sharing with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission through a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials.
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