Hinds Today

U.S. Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith have extended their congratulations to Shayleen Moeini and Jackson Pearce, both from Gulfport, Mississippi. These students have been chosen to participate in the 63rd annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) Washington Week.

The event is set for March 1-8, 2025, during which Moeini and Pearce will attend meetings with senators, the president, a Supreme Court justice, cabinet agency leaders, and other officials. Each participant will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.

Senator Wicker remarked, “I congratulate Shayleen and Jackson for being selected to be part of this competitive program. They deserve this opportunity. Both students have demonstrated commitment to community service, extracurricular activities, and their studies. I have no doubt they will represent our state well.”

Senator Hyde-Smith added her sentiments: “I offer my most sincere congratulations to Shayleen and Jackson for being selected to represent Mississippi as part of this prestigious program. Their hard work, dedication to academics, student government involvement, and community service have truly set them apart. I am confident they will represent our state with distinction, and I look forward to meeting them.”

Moeini is currently a senior at St. Patrick Catholic High School where she serves as the president of the National Honor Society and vice president of the Student Council. She intends to pursue studies in biology and policy at Columbia University.

Pearce is a senior at Gulfport High School who represents his peers on the Mississippi Department of Education Student Advisory Council and leads both Youth Legislature and Model UN as president. He plans to double major in aerospace engineering and public policy at the University of Alabama or major in public policy at Yale University.

Braden Overby from Simpson County Academy in Mendenhall and Lindan Garner from Jackson Preparatory School in Madison were named alternates for the 2025 program.

The Mississippi State Department of Education was responsible for selecting the delegates and alternates from nominations made by teachers and principals across the state. The chief state school officer confirmed these selections.

The USSYP was established by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been fully funded by The Hearst Foundations since its inception without any government funds being used.