Bergen Charter School Student Chosen For Prestigious Washington D.C. Week

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- Abigail Yashiro of Bergen Arts & Sciences Charter School in Hackensack is one of the two New Jersey students selected to participate in a week-long program in Washington, D.C. on government and leadership.

Jerry DeMarco

12/08/2015 12:00 p.m.

Yashiro also was awarded a $5,000 college scholarship, with an emphasis on political science and history, sponsored by The Hearst Foundations.

All 104 students selected nationwide for the 54th annual "Washington Week" will meet with high-level officials from different branches of government as part of the 2016 United States Senate Youth Program that begins March 5.

The United States Senate Youth Program was created in 1962 to encourage young students to pursue careers in public service. Two high school juniors or seniors from the fifty states, District of Columbia and Department of Defense Education Activity are chosen to participate each year.

Many later go on to careers in government or politics.

Jonah Waldman of The Frisch School in Paramus was chosen as one of two alternates in case Yashiro or fellow delegate Mahishan Gnanaseharan of St. Benedict's Prep School in Newark cannot attend.

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