Columbia, S.C. - State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman announced two South Carolina high school students have been selected as delegates to the 61st annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) that will be held March 4-11, 2023. Each delegate will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship.

The delegates selected to represent South Carolina are Kshiraj Talati of J. L. Mann High School in Greenville County Schools and Madison Hahn from May River High School in Beaufort County School District.

"I commend Kshiraj and Madison for their outstanding achievement during the rigorous and extremely competitive nomination process for the United States Senate Youth Program," said State Superintendent Molly Spearman. “They represent the very best of our students in South Carolina and I congratulate these two young leaders for receiving this prestigious honor.”

Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program brings 104 of the most outstanding high school students—two from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity—to Washington, D.C., for an intensive weeklong study of the federal government. Student delegates will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, as well as participate in meetings with the president and a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to the student delegates attending Washington Week, the Hearst Foundation will provide each of the 104 student delegates with a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue their educational coursework in government, history and public affairs.

Kshiraj Talati, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, is a senior at J. L. Mann High School in Greenville County Schools. Kshiraj serves as senior class president. During his sophomore year, Kshiraj started a nonprofit organization to facilitate large-scale online silent auctions for a range of causes, from homelessness and feeding the underserved to veteran support. To date, Kshiraj has helped raise over $200,000 for causes across the country.

“We are proud that Kshiraj has earned this honor. He is a great student and will represent the U. S. Senate Youth Program with the same honor and integrity with which he represents J. L. Mann High School,” said Dr. Shannon Gibson, principal of J.L. Mann High School.

Madison Hahn, of Bluffton, South Carolina, is a senior at May River High School in Beaufort County School District. Madison serves as the senior class president. Madison was selected as a representative for Palmetto Girls State and was elected Youth Attorney General as part of South Carolina Youth in Government’s state conference.

“I have seen Madison Hahn engage in curricular and co-curricular events and she always rises to the top in leadership,” said Todd Bornscheuer, May River High School principal. “Madison will change the world and make it a better place.”

The USSYP was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been sponsored by the U.S. Senate and fully funded by the Hearst Foundation since its inception. The program was established “to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America, but for people around the world.”

Click here for more information on the United States Senate Youth Program.