The following questions are most frequently asked by educators or mentors. If you are a parent or student, please follow the link on the left for more FAQs.

How did you get my name/my Institution’s name? There are several different ways we may have gotten your name.  We provide an opportunity for students who attend the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC) to name educators who might wish to nominate for our programs. We are currently inviting alumni from our JrNYLC experience to participate in the National Young Leaders State Conference (NYLSC). We also ask educators who already nominate students to our programs to recommend colleagues who would like to learn more about NYLSC.

The Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC) has created and run inspirational leadership conferences for students since 1985. The conferences include: the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC); the Junior National Young Leaders Conference Alumni Boston (JrNYLC Alumni Boston); the National Young Leaders Conference (NYLC); the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC); the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference (PYIC) and the Global Young Leaders Summit (GYLS), and the newest additions,  the National Young Leaders State Conference (NYLSC) and Junior Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference (JrPYIC).

Who pays for students’ travel to and from NYLSC? Students are responsible for arranging and financing their own travel costs. Once enrolled, students may contact our Office of Admissions to learn if other students from their area will be attending as well.

Is there scholarship funding available? Students may fill out a scholarship application online. Access to the scholarship application will be available here once students are formally invited to the Conference. The application specifies the information and materials students need to submit to be considered for a scholarship, such as a list of extracurricular involvements and achievements. Scholarship applicants receive their results via e-mail within two weeks of the scholarship application deadline.

We provide a fundraising guide [PDF, 178K] that offers tips on how to be a successful community fundraiser. Approximately one-third of our students fundraise for part or all of their tuition.

Can Educators come to NYLSC? As NYLSC is a student program, we do not have the resources to arrange for accommodations and travel for educators who wish to observe. The Conference is not available for observation, as students may be more inhibited with additional adults in attendance. 

Who is eligible to participate in NYLSC? NYLSC accepts outstanding 6th through 11th grade students who demonstrate maturity, academic excellence and leadership potential. Students are separated into groups based on their grade levels.

Can we speak to educators at schools from our area that have previously nominated students? We are happy to provide the contact information of parents whose students have previously attended other CYLC programs. Unfortunately, we cannot provide contact information for educators or institutions. However, if you speak with parents of former students, you may be directed to an educator or other school official.

Please explain what the comprehensive cost will be and who pays this cost. Tuition covers the expenses incurred by CYLC in planning and implementing the program. The average tuition for the program is $1,430 which includes: lodging, all meals, curriculum materials and compensation for the faculty advisors. The only costs not covered by the tuition are transportation to and from the conference location and any personal spending money used for souvenirs, snacks and other incidentals.

Need more information? Contact the Office of Educator Relations by e-mail at nylsc_educator@cylc.org. In the Online Community, you can get your questions answered and network with other NYLSC participants. Guests may post in the Questions for Staff forums. All postings are moderated by staff and are not available until reviewed.