Bridgeport’s Carson Winkie is one of two state high school students who in March will be taking an important trip to the nation’s capital.

 

Winkie, along with Logan’s Joshua Hatfield, have been selected by the United States Senate Youth Program to join Senator Joe Manchin III and Senator Shelley Moore Capito in representing West Virginia in Washington D.C. during the 58^th annual USSYP Washington Week.

This year’s event will take place March 7-14. Winkie and Hatfield will be part of a national student delegation that features 104 members. All 104 students will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship.

 

Winkie serves as the student body president at BHS. He is also currently serving as the governor of West Virginia Boys State and as a senator to the American Legion Boys Nation. He was appointed as the secretary of Homeland Security while at Boys Nation. He was a captain for the Class AA state championship football team and a first-team all-state selection. He has volunteered since his sophomore year in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. He has also volunteered for Wreaths Across America placing wreaths to honor each veteran in his local community. Additionally, Carson has been recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction. He has lettered in academics and orchestra throughout his high school experience.

 

The USSYP was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been sponsored by the Senate and fully funded by The Hearst Foundations since inception. Originally proposed by Senators Kuchel, Mansfield, Dirksen and Humphrey, the impetus for the program as stated in Senate testimony is "to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, learn the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and emphasize the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world."

 

Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program brings 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 USSYP student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service.