What is PYIC?
Sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference (PYIC) offers alumni of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council and the National Youth Leadership Forum the opportunity to witness the historic event of the presidential inauguration and challenges students with activities that will greatly enhance their understanding of a presidential campaign.

Who participates in PYIC?
Alumni of Congressional Youth Leadership Council and the National Youth Leadership Forum, who will still be in high school at the time of the inauguration, receive invitations to attend this extraordinary conference the year prior to the program. PYIC will next be held in January of 2009, following the 2008 presidential election.

What does PYIC tuition cover?
Tuition covers accommodations, all breakfasts and dinners (including arrival and departure days), curriculum materials transportation by private motor coach to all Conference act ivies and compensation for the faculty advisors. The only costs not covered by the tuition are transportation to and from Washington, D.C., lunches and personal spending money used for souvenirs, snacks and other incidentals.

Does CYLC offer financial assistance?
CYLC is proud to offer a limited number of scholarships to students. Through the scholarship program, CYLC opens the door for young leaders who deserve the opportunity to participate in PYIC but who require financial assistance.

Because CYLC scholarship funds are limited, we have created a fundraising guide [PDF, 178K] to help you defray tuition costs. CYLC's fundraising guide helps students secure support from their local business, civic, community and leadership organizations to finance conference participation.

If there is a limited number of spaces in PYIC and Enrollment Applications are processed in the order in which they are received, what if no spaces are available by the time I am able to accrue full tuition through fundraising?
We recognize that fundraising may delay your enrollment, so we encourage you to contact the Office of Admissions once you initiate fundraising efforts. While we cannot guarantee a space in PYIC, your call will make us aware of your fundraising efforts and intent to attend.

Where will I stay?
Inaugural Scholars will stay in three- and four-star hotels conveniently located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. These sites are all selected based upon their availability to meet strict safety and security requirements as well as their convenience to activities and events during the Inaugural Conference. Scholars will be assigned to a specific hotel or hotel conference center following enrollment and will be notified of that location prior to arriving at the Conference.

How are students supervised?
Students are closely supervised 24 hours a day. Our staff includes faculty advisors, who serve as educational facilitators and chaperones, security personnel, operations personnel, as well as the program director and support staff. Faculty advisors perform bus counts at all site experiences and room checks every evening. Hall monitors are employed to ensure that students remain in their rooms and to provide support for students who become ill or have an emergency at night.

What safety measures does PYIC follow?

• We greet students at the airport and provide a shuttle bus to the PYIC site.
• We only allow single-sex rooms.
• Our staff is comprised of highly trained and experienced educators.
• Security officers or late night hall monitors are on duty each evening.
• Room checks are a part of each evening routine.
• Students must go through all the security measures in place at all of the site experiences.
• A count of every student happens before buses leave for or from site experiences.
• Private motor coach transportation is used. Students never use public transportation.

Where can I get a sample schedule?
Please click here [PDF, 335K] to view a Preliminary Schedule of Events. The Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference will be addressed by world-renowned, marquee Keynote Speakers. In the coming months, additional details on speakers and topics, events and activities will be added to the Preliminary Schedule of Events and conveyed to Inaugural Scholars as they are confirmed.

Once a scholar submits an Enrollment Application and tuition payment, what happens? Is a space guaranteed?
Once a scholar has been invited to attend PYIC, he or she should follow the guidelines below to ensure a space in the program. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage scholars to apply early.

• Students should either submit their Enrollment Application online at www.cylc.org/pyic/enroll or complete the Enrollment Application located in their enrollment package and return it along with full tuition payment to our Office of Admissions.
• Once the Enrollment Application and tuition are complete, we will review availability.If the session is full, scholars are placed on a waitlist and the tuition payment will not be processed.
• If the scholar is accepted, we will send an acceptance letter within approximately two weeks. In addition, we will provide a detailed packet of information prior to the start of the program.

Can special dietary needs be met?
Vegetarian options are always available, and kosher meals can be made available upon request. All dietary needs must be indicated on the special needs section of your the Enrollment Application, and, if necessary, a staff member will contact you to discuss any special arrangements that need to be made.

What is CYLC and how long has the organization existed?
The Congressional Youth Leadership Council, a nonpartisan, educational organization, was founded in 1985 and is located in Vienna, VA. Our mission is to foster and inspire young people to achieve their full leadership potential.  To date, more than 200,000 young people representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia, American territories and over 100 countries around the world have participated in CYLC programs.

How is CYLC funded?
CYLC is a tuition-based, self-supporting organization, with many students securing financial support from local business, civic, community and leadership organizations. The CYLC fundraising guide [PDF, 178K] helps students identify funding sources and outlines steps for a successful fundraising effort. In addition, CYLC is proud to offer competitive scholarships to deserving students with financial need.

Does CYLC have any political affiliation?
No, the Congressional Youth Leadership Council is a nonpartisan, educational organization.