Young People’s Continental Congress 2025
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Apply Now for the 2025 Young People’s Continental Congress
Carpenters’ Hall, in partnership with National History Day® (NHD), is thrilled to announce an exciting program for the summer of 2025. The Young People’s Continental Congress (YPCC) will provide an opportunity for student-teacher teams to study history and civics in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 13–19, 2025. Participants will interact with students and teachers from across the country, explore our nation’s founding, and learn how the ideals of the founding era continue to be debated, discussed, and refined over the last 250 years.
In July 2024, we ran a pilot of this program with student-teacher teams from the original 13 colonies. Thank you to all partners and sponsors who such an incredible week of learning and exploring possible! Learn more about their experiences by watching this short video:
The program covers the travel costs for participants (flights, hotels, and meals). Participants are responsible for covering the costs of getting to their home airport or train station, parking, luggage, and incidental expenses. The selected teams will engage in an online learning program from January to June 2025 to learn about the revolutionary era and engage in dialogue and civic discourse. Teams also agree to share their learning in two community presentations and participate in the NHD National Contest in the 2025/2026 academic year.
Teams will travel to Philadelphia from July 13–19, 2025.
In Philadelphia, potential site visits may include historic sites (Carpenters’ Hall and the Independence National Historical Park), museums (the Museum of the American Revolution and the National Constitution Center), and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, among others.
Follow our YPCC journey on social media by click the icons below:
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can a teacher apply with more than one student?
No. If a teacher wants to consider multiple students, they should conduct a selection process at the school level. NHD can only accept one application per teacher.
Are middle school teachers eligible to apply?
Yes, but they need to apply with a student who is currently in tenth or eleventh grade.
Can a teacher apply with a student who is a freshman or a senior?
No. Students must currently be in tenth or eleventh grade to apply.
Can family members accompany the teams?
Our program cannot accommodate additional family members at the live program. Family members are welcome to join their students before or after the program if they choose.
Do the teacher and student travel to/from Philadelphia together?
Yes. The teacher and student will fly or take the train together unless a parent or guardian accompanies the student.
Are homeschooled students eligible to apply?
Yes. If there is no logical person to write a recommendation for the teacher, that will be waived (at no penalty). Please contact programs@nhd.org, and that note will be added to your file.
Will the applications be acknowledged?
Yes. Our program will send a copy of the application to your email, and one of our staff members will confirm receipt once we confirm all components are included.
Will all applicants be notified?
Yes. NHD will notify the teacher applicants on or before Monday, December 9, 2024, via email or phone.
What do I do if I have a question not answered here?
Email your question to programs@nhd.org.
Thank you to our 2024 sponsors:
Albert M. Greenfield Foundation
America 250 PA
Amy Branch & Jeff Benoliel
Connelly Foundation
Founding Forward
Hon. Edward G. Rendell
Independence Foundation
Kimmel Family Foundation
Knight Foundation
Kathy Sachs
The Le Vine Foundation
Marguerite Lenfest
Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution
Philadelphia Foundation
Philadelphia 250
Union League Foundation
William Penn Foundation
WHYY
