KING
LAUNCHES
CONGRESSIONAL
YOUTH
ADVISORY
BOARD
Students
Have
Until
the End
of
September
to Apply
WASHINGTON
- U.S.
Congressman
Steve
King
(IA-05)
today
invited
high
school
students
to apply
to the
first-ever
Congressional
Youth
Advisory
Board
for the
Fifth
Congressional
District.
The
Congressional
Youth
Advisory
Board is
open to
high
school
freshmen,
sophomores
and
juniors
enrolled
in
public,
private
and home
schools.
King is
assembling
the
Congressional
Advisory
Board to
accomplish
two
major
goals.
The
first is
to give
King a
deep
insight
on the
issues
that
directly
affect
Iowa's
youth.
He plans
to use
the
creative
sessions
with the
Board to
form
strategies
to
prevent
what has
been
dubbed
the
"brain
drain,"
Iowa
losing
young
people
to other
states.
The
group
will
discuss
the
factors
used
when
youth
decide
to leave
Iowa for
college
and
career,
at a
time
when
they and
their
peers
are
making
those
crucial
decisions.
King
hopes
the
group
will
produce
ideas
that
will
help
reverse
the
trend
that has
Iowa
losing
population
for
decades.
"Western
Iowa has
terrific
young
minds
and
outstanding
communities,"
said
King.
"It is a
grave
concern
of mine
that we
are
losing
these
great
minds to
other
states.
The best
way we
can
start to
correct
that
trend is
to work
with our
young
people
as they
make
those
decisions."
Second,
the
group
will
focus on
educating
young
people
first-hand
about
government
and
policy
and the
role
citizens
play in
communities,
states
and the
country.
"I hope
this
group of
students
will
have the
invaluable
experience
of
having
their
voice
heard
and
watch
their
ideas
come to
fruition
to
better
their
communities,"
said
King.
Members
will be
selected
based on
leadership
skills,
academic
performance
and
public
service.
The
Board
will
meet two
to three
times
per
school
year.
Students
interested
in
applying
to the
Congressional
Youth
Advisory
Board
may
contact
King's
Washington
office
at
202-225-4426
or visit
his
website
to find
more
information
and
submit
applications
at
www.house.gov/steveking
