CONCORD - John Parsons of Madbury and Allison Thompson of Nashua were chosen from high school nominees across the state to be student delegates at the 51st Annual United States Senate Youth Program March 9 to 16 in Washington, D.C.

The program brings two students from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity, to Washington for an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it.

Student delegates will attend meetings with senators and Congressional staff, the President, a Supreme Court justice, leaders of cabinet agencies, an ambassador to the United States and top members of the national media and will visit national monuments.

Parsons attends Oyster River High School, where he serves as the student representative to the school board. He was also elected vice president of the class of 2013.

Thompson attends Nashua High School South where she has been a class officer for four years. She was also the student representative on the School Futures Committee studying scheduling, graduation and community service requirements.

The delegates rank academically in the top one percent of New Hampshire high school juniors and seniors. They are nominated by teachers and principals and selected by New Hampshire Education Commissioner Virginia Barry.

In addition to transportation and all expenses for the program week, The Hearst Foundations provide each of the 104 student delegates with a $5,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs.