The NRA Youth Education Summit (YES) will make its return July 16th-21st, 2024!

FAIRFAX, Va. – The NRA Youth Education Summit is a six-day, all-expense paid leadership and scholarship experience for rising high school juniors and seniors in the Washington, DC area. Each summer, 30-40 high school students are selected from across the country to participate in a week-long educational fellowship around our nation’s capital. 

For two decades, the NRA’s Youth Education Summit has gathered some of the brightest, most ambitious, and patriotic youth from across America in our nation’s capital. Students spend an unforgettable week engaging with political leaders, exploring historical monuments, and honing their skills through competitive debates, all with the aim of enriching and inspiring our nation’s future.

The Y.E.S. program’s mission is to encourage students to explore the workings of our American government, the Bill of Rights, and the U.S. Constitution. Y.E.S. strives to inspire students to become responsible citizens who actively participate in the democratic process and who will return to their communities as advocates for the Second Amendment. 
Students can expect an action-packed week that includes:

Meeting with NRA leadership

Target practice at the NRA range

Touring of the National Firearms Museum

Practicing debates at Hillsdale College’s Center for Constitutional Studies & Citizenship 

Viewing the Constitution and Bill of Rights in-person at the National Archives

Touring D.C. monuments and memorials

Meeting with Congressmen & Congresswomen

Taking an inside look at the U.S. Capitol Building

Visiting the Supreme Court

Exploring the National Museum of American History

Walking around the Iwo Jima Memorial

Attending the 8th & I Parade

Walking the grounds of Mount Vernon

Paying respect at Arlington National Cemetery 

Past participant Brayden T. from North Carolina stated, “While attending Y.E.S., I interacted with one of the chaperones who was a college student, and a member of the Air Force ROTC at the University of Kentucky. My interactions with him, in addition to our visits to the various veteran’s memorials, sparked a desire to serve others through military service! Today, I am a senior at North Carolina State University, and a proud member of their Air Force ROTC, with plans to commission into the Air Force next spring!”

The Youth Education Summit is not solely about touring Washington, D.C. This summit offers an enriching educational experience that includes a total of $40,000 in college scholarships for students who display strong leadership abilities and a deep understanding of the week’s activities, which encompass debates, seminars, public speaking, and more. Thanks to Friends of NRA fundraising and grants provided by The NRA Foundation, more than $700,000 in scholarships have been awarded since the creation of Y.E.S. in 1996.

Y.E.S. is open to current high school sophomores and juniors across the country. Aspiring participants must complete an application and submit their high school transcript, a three-page essay on the Second Amendment, a personal statement, and three letters of recommendation.  

Y.E.S will be held July 16th-21st, 2024. Due to the anticipated high volume of applications, the application window is open for a limited time. Don’t miss the March 1st deadline! To find out more about the Youth Education Summit, including frequently asked questions, please visit our website. www.yes.nra.org. 

Make a lasting contribution by donating to the Y.E.S. Scholarship Fund: https://yes.nra.org/donate/

Incorporated in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s longest-standing civil rights organization. Together with our millions of members, we’re proud defenders of history’s patriots and diligent protectors of the Second Amendment.

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