The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) is celebrating America’s 250th birthday by creating new opportunities for teens across Illinois to explore important public issues and strengthen their leadership skills. These new programs are set to begin in June of this year.

As part of the celebration, ALPLM is expanding its Future Presidents of America Program and will also host the Illinois competition for the National Debate Contest.

The Future Presidents of America Program (FPAP) is a week-long summer camp that introduces students to civics, government, and leadership while presenting real-world challenges for young people to solve.

This year, students from across the nation can apply to FPAP, whereas in previous years, the program was limited to students from Central Illinois.

ALPLM will also serve as the Illinois partner in the Ronald Reagan Debate Series, which brings students together to engage in meaningful discussions on real-world issues while honoring the legacies of two presidents with Illinois roots.

The debate series, an initiative of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, gives Illinois students the opportunity to compete for cash prizes, scholarships, and a trip to California for the national debate finals. Students also gain valuable public speaking and critical thinking skills while studying important civic issues.

The Illinois competition is scheduled for June 20th. This year, the debate topic will focus on whether presidents should be chosen based on the Electoral College or the popular vote.

The FPAP accepts just 24 young leaders ages 13 to 16 for its summer day camp, which focuses on the qualities that make a great president. The camp is scheduled to take place from June 8th through June 12th.

Students will also explore the enduring meaning of the Declaration of Independence through a featured session called “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written.”

More information can be found on the America 250 page of the ALPLM website at presidentlincoln.illinois.gov.