Programs and Resources for Kentucky Students (K-12)

The McConnell Center offers a number of programs and resources for Kentucky students grades K-12, the goal being to enhance students' civic education. Post graduation, exceptional Kentucky high school students are encouraged to apply to the McConnell Scholars Program.

Young Leaders Academy (Grades 9-12)

The Young Leaders Academy (YLA) is a four-day, all-expenses-paid summer residential program at the University of Louisville for Kentucky students who have completed at least one year of high school by the time of the conference. YLA 2025 will take place July 15 - 19.

The theme of the annual conference is "Revisiting American Constitutionalism." Sessions are led by faculty, staff, and students at the University of Louisville, as well as other experts in the field of the American founding. Conference topics include the origins of the written constitution, the Federalist and Anti-Federalist debates, and a variety of other issues pertinent to the birth of the United States. 

All students selected to attend the conference will receive a full scholarship that includes free lodging, meals, and all conference materials. Applicants will need to fill out the YLA application, submit a resume, obtain one letter of recommendation, and submit a 500-700-word essay based on the following prompt: 

"How do you define good leadership? Why do you wish to attend YLA?"

Applications for YLA 2025 are due by March 28, 2025.

The Student Citizen Project (Grades 5-12)

  • All Kentucky students, grades 5-12, are eligible to participate in the Student Citizen Project. Students who complete the project will be on track to earn their civic seal from the Kentucky Secretary of State.
  • Students will form groups no larger than 4. All groups must be sponsored by a teacher.
  • Each group will consider the following prompt:

In a letter responding to Publius' Federalist No. 10, an Anti-Federalist known as "Agrippa" writes: "It is impossible for one code of laws to suit Georgia and Massachusetts...one legislature could not represent so many different interests for the purposes of legislation and taxation."

Consider the present-day United States, with a population of 335 million people across 50 states. Do you agree or disagree with "Agrippa's" claims? Do you think it is better to have one large government representing lots of diverse people and ideas, or is it better to have numerous regional governments each representing groups of people with similar ideas and values? Using primary and secondary historical sources, explain your answer.

  • Groups will formulate an answer and record a video of themselves verbally delivering their answer, as if in front of a panel of judges. Videos should be no longer than 5 minutes.
  • Groups will share their submissions using a Google formno later than 11:59 pm on April 4, 2025. Winners and runners-up in each grade band (5, 6-8, 9-12) will be notified in May and will receive monetary awards from KEDC. 
  • Scoring criteria are available here
  • 1st place winners in each grade band will receive $100, and runners-up in each grade band will receive $50. 

Questions? Contact Meghan Waters (meghan.waters@louisville.edu) and Wendy King (wendy.king@kedc.org)

Class Visits 

Tour the Civic Education Gallery of the U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and Secretary Elaine L. Chao Archives at the University of Louisville. Built around the lives and careers of Sen. McConnell and Sec. Chao, the gallery is designed to educate visitors about American government, history and politics.



Podcast Series 

Enjoy episodes of the McConnell Center Podcast, which offers thought-provoking conversations with authors, scholars, leaders in the U.S. military and political professionals. Interviews focus on leadership, literature, history, education, politics and life.

Also be sure to check out Vital Remnants, a podcast hosted by McConnell Center Director Gary Gregg, where he considers how lessons from classic works are relevant to today's leadership opportunities and challenges.