Kailyn Allen spent more than a year campaigning against President Barack Obama as chairwoman of the Florida Federation of Teenage Republicans. Now, she has until March to think of one question to ask him when she meets him in person.
Allen, an 18-year-old senior at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, was one of two students chosen in Florida to attend the 51st annual United States Senate Youth Program from March 9 to March 16 in Washington, D.C.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to be able to talk to the leader of the free world,” she said.
The merit-based program, sponsored by the Senate and funded by the Hearst Foundations, gives students an in-depth look at the American government and the history and rules of the Senate, program director Rayne Guilford said.
Guilford said students were chosen based on their academic excellence, leadership qualities and experience serving a constituency in an elected office position.
Allen, who is a dual-enrolled student at UF, is president of her senior class and president of the school’s Speech and Debate Club. She founded the Alachua County Teen Republicans last year and received the National Teenage Republican Rising Star Award in July.
Guilford said the program aims to promote leadership in students through discussions with elected officials.
She added that Obama attended the program every year during his first term.
“We pretty much rearrange everything to fit the president in,” she said.
Delegates will also meet with a Supreme Court associate justice, a United States ambassador, Cabinet members and senators.
“Hearing the advice, and hearing first-hand from the people who are such incredible leaders, that’s something that I’m going to carry with me for the rest of my life,” Allen said.
Along with an all-expenses-paid trip to tour monuments and museums, Allen and the other delegates will receive $5,000 undergraduate college scholarships.
Allen hopes to attend law school and later run for a public office position.
“Hopefully she can live and learn from other people’s perspectives,” her father, Kevin Allen, 55, said.
Gary Boulware, advanced placement government and economics teacher at P.K. Yonge, said he saw Allen’s interest in politics when she ran for class president.
“It was pretty interesting for me to watch a young lady navigate sometimes treacherous political waters, and do so rather effectively,” he said.
Catherine Atria, principal at P.K. Yonge, said she was excited that Allen was chosen as a delegate.
“It’s certainly quite an honor to have her as our student and be recognized in this fashion,” she said.
Kailyn Allen, 18, was one of two selected from Florida for the program.
