Liu, Sash get slots in Senate program

Richard Liu, a senior at Little Rock Central High School, and Neil Sash, a junior at Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock, have been selected for the U.S. Senate Youth Program.

The two were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104-student delegation to the program. They will each receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.

Chosen as alternates to the 2022 program were Sydney Lane England of Little Rock, who attends Mount Saint Mary Academy, and Colette Lucia Tesoro of Centerton, who attends Bentonville West High School.

Because of the ongoing pandemic, the 2022 Youth Senate Program will be held online. Student delegates will attend online meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court, leaders of Cabinet agencies and others.

Liu is a nationally ranked debater and was elected lieutenant governor of Arkansas Boys State. As executive assistant to the CEO of Arkansas Associations of Asian Businesses, Liu’s experience in Mandarin and English helped bridge the cultural and linguistic gaps between Asian and Western business owners. He plans to apply to the Huntsman Program at the University of Pennsylvania for dual degrees in international relations and business.

Sash is an appointee to Sen. John Boozman’s, R-Ark., Congressional Youth Cabinet. He is one of 15 students in the state selected for the Arkansas Communication and Theater Arts Association promoting debate and art. He is the vice captain of the debate team and captain of the Quiz Bowl team, and won first place in the Congressional App Challenge. One of few students worldwide admitted to three selective Massachusetts Institute of Technology programs, Sash plans to study political science, public policy and get a law degree.