LCHS Student Named to U.S. Senate Youth Program

 
Contact: Mike Cook, 527-5934
Email: mcook@lcps.k12.nm.us LAS CRUCES – “I am very excited to announce that one of Las Cruces High School's students -- Philip Zakahi -- was chosen for the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP),” said LCHS Principal Nyeta Haines. Zakahi was notified of the honor December 7.

Zakahi was one of two students selected for the program from 200 applicants statewide. 12 of the 200 were selected for interviews, which were held in Albuquerque in November. Haines also nominated LCHS senior Noah Silva, who also was among the 12 interviewed before final selections were made.

Zakahi, a senior, is a member of the LCHS Student Advisory Group, and is its representative on the LCHS School Advisory Council (SAC). Haines said Zakahi has reorganized the Student Government Association and is in the process of organizing a first-ever district-wide student advisory council.

Zakahi is “an outstanding young man. Philip is a leader. He is politically active and a great critical thinker. He speaks eloquently for all students. He truly encompasses the whole idea of representing the student body,” said Haines. She said she expects to address him some day as “United States Senator Zakahi.”

Zakahi said he is excited about his award. “It’s a great opportunity. I think it reflects well on LCHS,” he said, that both LCHS students nominated for the program were finalists.

Zakahi said he has “extensive political interests.” He is a member of the Progressive Voter Alliance of Las Cruces and the Doña Ana Democratic Party. He worked on the presidential campaign of former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, who now is chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Zakahi said he is looking forward to the trip to Washington, D.C. that is part of USSYP to “learn more about how the whole process works.”

Zakahi, 17, is the son of Walter Zakahi and Catherine Foster of Las Cruces. He said he is undecided about where he will go to college or what he will study.

USSYP was created in 1962 and is funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. Two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity will spend a week in Washington, D.C. (March 4-11, 2006) experiencing their national government in action.

Delegates will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials from the U.S. departments of State and Defense and directors of federal agencies, and will meet with a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Each delegate will be awarded a $5,000 college scholarship for undergraduate studies, Haines said.

For more information, contact Haines at (505) 527-9400 or nhaines@lcps.k12.nm.us. Or visit http://www.hearstfdn.org/ussyp/

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Photograph:Las Cruces High School student Philip Zakahi and LCHS Principal Nyeta Haines. (Parental photo permission slip on file at LCHS.)