CHEYENNE – Easton Countryman, a junior at Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School, and Toby Arment, a senior at Rawlins High School, will serve as Wyoming’s 2019 delegates for the U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Delegates receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. for an comprehensive educational experience, as well as a $10,000 scholarship from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.
“The application process for this program is rigorous, and Easton and Toby excelled in every category,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow. “Besides being excellent students, they are excellent citizens, and both have given back to their communities in so many ways. I am pleased that Easton and Toby will represent Wyoming as they meet with our nation’s leaders and get a real, hands-on experience in leadership through service.”
Countryman has been on the Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School gold honor roll each semester and has been recognized by the Kemmerer Lions Club for outstanding academic achievement in several areas. He is the president of his class, and participates in in speech and debate, 4-H, and golf. His community outreach includes volunteering for blood drives, highway cleanups, and park renovations. Countryman also helped start a youth organization called Interact, which he currently serves as vice president.
Arment serves as student body treasurer and also participates in the Rawlins chapter of the National Honor Society, band, and speech and debate; Arment captained the Rawlins High School speech and debate team his junior and senior year, and is the recipient of the Speech and Debate Academic All American Award: a recognition that goes to fewer than one half of 1 percent of all student speech and debate members each year. Arment has a keen interest in politics, and has volunteered to moderate political forums for city, county, and state races. He also has served the Carbon County Clerk as a poll judge.
The USSYP was established by the US Senate in 1962, and provides an educational experience for students interested in public service careers.Delegates will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials of the Departments of State and Defense and other federal agencies, and will participate in a meeting with a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and President Donald Trump. Each session includes an in-depth question and answer period. The 57th Annual USSYP Washington Week will be held March 2-9, 2019.
The USSYP provides students with an in-depth view of the Senate and the federal government, as well as a deeper understanding of the relationships between the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Branches. Two students are chosen from each state, along with two from the District of Columbia, and two from the Department of Defense Dependents Schools network.
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Media Contact:
Kari Eakins, Communications Director
kari.eakins@wyo.gov
307-777-2053
