The South Dakota Department of Education is accepting applications for the United States Senate Youth Program 2026-27. Two South Dakota high school students will be selected as delegates for Washington Week, scheduled for March 6-13, 2027, and each selected delegate will receive a $12,500 undergraduate college scholarship funded by The Hearst Foundations.
The current South Dakota application and program instructions require the application and all attachments to be emailed by October 2, 2026 to Melissa.Bothun@state.sd.us. The controlling South Dakota materials do not publish a closing clock time or time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. Mailed applications are not accepted.
Applicants must be high school juniors or seniors, reside in South Dakota and attend a South Dakota high school for the full 2026-27 academic year, and actively serve in a qualifying elected or appointed leadership position. All leadership positions are subject to verification by state selection administrators. The application requires principal approval/signature.
Required materials include the completed application, two recommendation letters, a high school transcript, and a personal essay addressing the required elements. An ACT score should be included if available. The current South Dakota application lists Melissa Bothun, South Dakota Department of Education, Melissa.Bothun@state.sd.us, 605-295-0433, as the program contact.
The national 2027 announcement confirms that 104 delegates will participate nationwide and that The Hearst Foundations fully fund and administer the program without public funds.
Atlas assessment: Atlas Opportunity Score 34/100. N9+ Fit Score 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit 0/100. Direct Dr. Miltie fit 0/100. This is an individual student civic-education scholarship and does not establish a healthcare, telehealth, remote-examination, equipment, vendor, or Dr. Miltie commercial pathway. No applicant outreach is recommended.
Official source: South Dakota Department of Education United States Senate Youth Program.