The Inter-Mountain photo by Taylor McKinnie Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco presents EHS student Juliann Harlan a certificate recognizing and honoring her for being accepted into the United States Senate Youth Program.

ELKINS — On Thursday, the City of Elkins and the Elkins City Council honored an Elkins High School student after she was accepted into an extremely exclusive national program.

During the council’s first meeting of the new year, Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco recognized and honored Elkins High School student Juliann Harlan for being accepted into the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Harlan received a certificate from the City of Elkins recognizing her accomplishment and a Mayor of Elkins’ Challenge pin.

“Tonight it is my honor to recognize a very impressive young lady who I have been in several meetings with and got to hear her present,” Marco said during Thursday’s council meeting. “She’s a dynamic speaker. She’s a great presenter and she’s just a fantastic, young representation of our community.”

Harlan, a junior at Elkins High School, is just one of 104 students across America that was chosen for the program. The USSYP is described as one of the most selective leadership and political programs in the country with an acceptance rate of just 0.08%.

“Only two kids from every state … get into this program,” Harlan told The Inter-Mountain in a previous statement. “I was extremely excited when I received the news that I was selected. When I saw the six finalists for this (state) competition I thought there was no way that I even had a chance.”

Harlan is only the second student from Randolph County, and the first-ever from Elkins High School, to be accepted into the program. In 1996, Misty Taylor, a former student of Tygarts Valley High School, was the first to from Randolph County to be accepted. 

During the council meeting, Fourth Ward Council Member Andrew Carroll, who teaches at Elkins High School, also said a few words regarding Harlan’s work ethic, determination and accomplishments. Carroll leads the debate team that Harlan has been a member of since she was in sixth grade.

“Juliann’s just like a truly dynamic speaker and is always thinking about speeches,” Carroll said. “Her mother and I were communicating about some debate scheduling… and as we’re talking, I get a screenshot of a conversation between Juliann and her mom. It’s like three in the morning, Juliann’s like, ‘Mom, I have the best idea for the best speech ever’… So Juliann’s brain doesn’t shut down, but she certainly deserves our recognition… I expect a lot out of Juliann.”

Carroll also informed the council that Harlan will be participating in a debate tournament at Harvard University in February.

Along with receiving a $10,000 scholarship for being selected, Harlan was named the highest-scoring delegate in the program on the West Virginia level. She will represent West Virginia during USSYP Washington Week in Washington, D.C. from March 7 to March 14.

“I’m really excited for this opportunity and to step my foot into politics,” Harlan told the council on Thursday. “I’ve had a few times where I’ve gone to D.C., probably more than I can count, but I’m really excited to speak with upper levels of politics in the United States.”

During her trip, Harlan will have the opportunity to meet with President Donald Trump, United States senators and members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, cabinet secretaries and military and national leaders.

On Jan. 3, Harlan won first place in the 9th District Oratorical Contest hosted by American Legion Post 29. Harlan is the two-time state champion.