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 day camp takes place June 10-14. More details and the application link can be found under the “Learn” tab of the ALPLM’s website.