The Illinois Society of The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America is proud to partner with the award winning Washington Workshops Foundation to offer high school students throughout Illinois the opportunity to attend an educational one-week seminar in Washington, DC. Students spend a week in the nation’s capital attending lectures by Congressmen and other high ranking government officials, meeting state representatives and senators, visiting various government buildings and foreign embassies as well as local historic sites and the monuments and memorials on the National Mall.

Tuition and expenses to attend the seminar are paid by the Illinois Society.

The 2011 Congressional Seminar will be June 18 – 24. To compete for a seat at the seminar, students must enter an NSCDA sponsored essay contest. Each year, a different essay topic is selected. The 2011 topic is to:

"In his farewell address in Philadelphia in 1776, George Washington warned against the advent of political parties in nations with populace-elected governments. Do you believe our nation’s history supports his views? Explain."

For essay details and information, click here. (PDF)
For official essay contest rules and application, click here. (PDF)

To see what previous winners said about their experience at the Washington Workshops, click here.