Inspiring our nation’s youth with public service

By U.S. Sen. Susan Collins
(R-Maine)

    As a senior at Caribou High School, I participated in a program that would change my life. It is called the United States Senate Youth Program.
    Recently, two students from Maine had that same opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., to participate in this program, and to see first-hand why it still means so much to me.

    Sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the Senate Youth Program is a competitive merit-based program that brings 104 of the most outstanding high school students to Washington, D.C., for an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it.
    The overall mission of the program is to help instill within each class of student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service.
    When I was chosen to participate, I had never flown on an airplane, had never been to Washington, and had never met a U.S. Senator. But I had learned from my parents, both of whom were actively serving community, state, and non-profit organizations, the importance of getting involved. I was president of the student council and active in other school organizations as well.
    One of the highlights of Washington Week, as it’s called, is always the opportunity to meet with Senators from one’s home state. I was fortunate to have had the chance to meet with a true giant of the Senate, Senator Margaret Chase Smith.
    She was the first woman to serve in both the House and the Senate, the first woman to serve on the Armed Services Committee, and the first woman to have her name entered into nomination for President by a major party.
    After my meeting with Senator Smith, the foundation of public service instilled in me by my parents had been solidified forever.
    I am truly honored to hold her seat today and to sit at her desk on the Senate floor.
    I know this was an opportunity that this year’s Maine delegates, Zachary Duperry and Carolyn Liziewski, will remember forever. I recently met with them, and I am confident that their experience in Washington will inspire them to continue their already impressive involvement in public service.
    Zachary, who is from Portland, is a senior at Deering High School and serves as president of his senior class and the Key Club, and as co-president of the Outdoors Club. In addition, he plays varsity soccer and volunteers as a math tutor. His future plans include attending college to study biology, history or political science.
    Carolyn, who is from Gray, is a senior at Catherine McAuley High School in Portland. She serves on the Student Body Executive Board, and is captain of the Mock Trial Team and Math Team, and is the business editor for the yearbook. She also has served as a United States Senate Page through my office. Carolyn is interested in combining her interest in public policy and love for math in her studies at Princeton University.
    I congratulate Zachary and Carolyn on the impressive accomplishment of having being chosen as this year’s delegates from Maine, and I enjoyed meeting with them in Washington and discussing the importance of this program to me. I believe they were able to see a side of the federal government that too often gets lost in news reports that focus solely on conflict and division. Although Senators come from different parties and different parts of the country, we are united by a dedication to serving our nation.
    When I participated in the program, I had no idea that one day my fellow Mainers would elect me to represent them in the U.S. Senate.
    As the first former Senate Youth Program delegate who went on to serve in the U.S. Senate, I am able to see the lasting effect this trip will have on these students.