Students in nine central Illinois counties can now apply for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s popular “Future Presidents of America” program, which presents real-world challenges to solve, teaches leadership skills and introduces participants to experts in multiple fields.
The deadline to apply is May 10. The program is open to students from 13 to 16 years old in Sangamon, Cass, Christian, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery and Morgan counties.
When the Future Presidents program began, only schools in Sangamon and Macon counties took part and participants were nominated by school officials. 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 participate in this program.
“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. “We encourage students from all nine counties to apply for this unique opportunity.”
The day camp takes place June 10-14. More details and the application link can be found here.
"The Future Presidents of America camp has become a high point of our year,” said ALPLM Interim Director of Education Abigail Bussey. “We are thrilled that we will be able to interact with more students from across central Illinois as they join us for a week of learning, 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 – roughly 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.
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