Schools

Harrison Junior Earns Trip to Washington, D.C.

Connor Rubin looks forward to participating in the Senate Youth Scholarship Program.

junior Connor Rubin thinks the country could do better than the partisan primaries when it comes to selecting a president. 

"They're not fit to choose what to watch on TV, much less our next president," Rubin said. 

That answer, in a nutshell, was the topic of an essay he wrote as part of his application to the United States Senate Youth Scholarship Program (USSYSP), submitted in October. It was good enough to earn him a trip to Washington, D.C. and a $5,000 scholarship to the college or university of his choice. 

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Rubin said his essay answered the question of whether primaries were a good way select a president. Among the points he made were discussions of "flash over substance" and whether American politics can survive when people are threatening to shut down the government. 

As one of two representatives from Michigan, he'll get a first-hand look at how government runs during USSYSP's 50th session March 3-10. Along with more than 100 young people interested in a political career, Rubin will meet with elected officials, hear from Cabinet members and other government officials, and meet with a Supreme Court justice, according to the program brochure. 

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"I really hope to get a deeper understanding of how government works," said Rubin, who aspires to become a congressman. "There's a difference between what they put in textbooks and how Washington actually works." 

"Of course," he added, "meeting the President wouldn't be a negative thing."


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