By Haley Wilkinson, educator at Gautier High School

Emery Rone, Victoria Floran Rosado and Jon Hayden were selected as semi-finalists for the United States Senate Youth Program.

If chosen as a delegate, the students will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, as well as participate in meetings with the president and a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

All expenses are provided by The Hearst Foundations. In addition, each delegate will also be awarded a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate studies.