Indian River High senior selected for Senate youth program
The United States Senate Youth Program announced that high school students Augustus Laird Fadden of Frankford and Justin Xu of Hockessin will join Sen. Thomas R. Carper and Sen. Christopher A. Coons in representing Delaware during the 59th annual USSYP Washington Week, to be held Sunday to Wednesday, March 14 to 17.
The two were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104-student national delegation. Each will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs.
Due to the pandemic, the 2021 program will be the inaugural virtual Washington Week, designed to be a highly interactive, exciting education and leadership forum for the nation’s most outstanding student leaders.
Created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and fully funded by the Hearst Foundations since its inception, the program gives student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and seeks to develop a lifelong commitment to public service.
A senior at Indian River High School, Fadden serves as president of his school's National Honor Society. He has been class president for the past two years, with the current year election pending. He has volunteered for two U.S. Senate campaigns and is founder and chair of Sussex TeenAge Republicans. He is vice president of Tri-M Music Honor Society, the leader of the Marching Band Low Brass/Winds Section since 2018 and performs in a gospel band. He has earned 15 awards in Marine Corps JROTC and achieved the rank of second lieutenant. He is considering further education at the University of Delaware or West Chester University, or joining the military. He eventually plans to run for public office.
Xu, a senior at the Charter School of Wilmington, serves as a student government representative and is the co-leader of Model UN. He is founder and president of the 3D Printing Club that made 3D-printed face shields for healthcare workers during COVID-19 supply shortages. He currently plays viola in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. Xu plans to pursue a career in the sciences, diplomacy and public service.
Chosen as alternates to the 2021 program were Timothy McGill, a Wilmington resident who attends Brandywine High School, and Rachel Brzezicki, a Felton resident who attends Lake Forest High School.
During program week, the student delegates will attend online meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a Supreme Court justice, leaders of cabinet agencies, and senior members of the national media, among others. In addition to outstanding leadership abilities and a strong commitment to volunteer work, the student delegates rank academically in the top 1 percent of their states among high school juniors and seniors.
