Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership
The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership is seeking applicants to be Youth Program Managers in the summer of 2019 for its High School Leaders Program.
The two-week residential program takes place at the University of Virginia from July 13-27th.
Reported by Chip Maurer (James Monroe High School)
Congratulations High School Leaders Program Class of 2017! We did it!
Today we heard two weeks of hard work recapped in incredible speeches from Lauren Gilbert, Alex White, and Bob Gibson. The Spirit of Citizenship Award went to two deserving members of our class, Choetsow Tenzin and Ted McPhillips. After enjoying two weeks with them I can't think of anyone better to receive these awards.
Reported by Andrew Kendall (Craig County High School)
Today started with all of the students meeting in the Dome Room of the Rotunda. We all presented our final policy projects to the class as well as a panel consisting of Lauren Gilbert, Tom Walls, Chris West, and Jacqueline Hixson. Every presentation was well put together and very interesting. The projects presented had to do with criminal justice, education, environment, and public health. Each presentation raised some great points and everyone learned from them as well.
Reported by Landon Sawyer (McLean High School)
We woke up to the sound of the fire alarm blaring throughout the dorms. Somehow the steam from a shower set off the alarm! We waited outside for about 20 minutes before the firemen let us back inside, giving us a late start to the day.
Reported by Avery Shivers (Christchurch School)
I awoke at 6:30 a.m. to the sound the song "I’ll Make a Man Out of You" from Disney's Mulan blaring from my roommate's alarm clock. By 7:15 a.m. we were all out the door and on our way to the Virginia Capitol building in Richmond.
Reported by Ted McPhillips (Granby High School)
On our eleventh day here at the Sorensen Institute High School Leaders Program, we began with a study hall that allowed us to use valuable time with our policy groups to revise and add to our culminating projects. We read through the YPMs comments on our first full drafts, and worked as a team to fix the problems and weaknesses in our original plans.
Reported by: Thomas Liu (劉奐呈) (Langley High School) and Alex Moreno (Western Albemarle High School)
After an interesting Senate simulation on Sunday, Monday brought a movie, a variety of speakers and a unique lesson taught by Mr. Walls.
The movie A Perfect Candidate was about the 1994 senate race in Virginia between Ollie North and Chuck Robb. Learning about the issues in Virginia in 1994 and about the campaign style, which was very personal and combative, was thought-provoking and similar in some ways to current politics.
Reported by: Sabina Vohra (J.R. Tucker High School) and Alex White (Luray High School)
Having had a day off on Saturday, we jumped back into our busy schedule with an all-day Senate Simulation. Each of us had been assigned a Virginia Senator in advance to research and faithfully represent. The simulation was refereed by Mr. Walls as part of his class curriculum. John Metz acted as Governor and Caroline Bones played the role of Lieutenant Governor.
Reported by: Iram Amir (The Steward School) and Matthew Marsh (Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School)
Reported by Carlos Brown Jr. (Henrico High School) & Chloe Lowell (St. Anne's-Belfield School)
The morning began just like the others, with a mad dash to Starbucks in Gibson Hall. The overcast weather could not temper our excitement for the rest of our busy Friday.