Minnesota Students Selected for
United States Senate Youth Program
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota high school students Ayoub Mahamud Farah and Feven Tesfaye will join Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Tina Smith in representing Minnesota during the 64th annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) Washington Week, to be held March 7-14, 2026.
Ayoub Farah, of Owatonna, and Feven Tesfaye, of Savage, were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the national student delegation. Each delegate will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study and be encouraged to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs.
“Congratulations to Ayoub and Feven. Your leadership and service to your peers and communities have led you to this opportunity to learn from our nation’s leaders,” said Commissioner Willie Jett. “We are proud of young leaders like you, and hope what you learn from this experience will inspire you as you become tomorrow's leaders.”
Each year this competitive merit-based program provides the most outstanding high school students—two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity—with an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it. The overall mission of the program is to help instill within each class of delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service.
"Congratulations to Ayoub Farah of Owatonna and Feven Tesfaye of Savage, who were selected to represent Minnesota as delegates at the United States Senate Youth Program this year,” Senator Klobuchar said. “It’s great to see students and future leaders who are not only interested in learning about public service but are already applying these civic skills in their lives every day."
“Congratulations to Ayoub and Feven, who will be representing Minnesota in the United States Senate Youth Program,” Senator Smith said. “We are so proud of the work you have already done, and we are excited to see how this experience helps you grow into even stronger leaders.”
Ayoub Farah, a senior at Owatonna High School, is his district's student school board representative and student body president. He has also worked as a Minnesota House page and as chief justice of Minnesota Boys State. He has participated in the National History Academy, studying with higher education and faculty from across the country. With guidance from faculty at the University of Minnesota and St. Olaf College, he conducted a study on youth polarization in Owatonna. He has also served as captain of the Owatonna cross country and mock trial teams. Farah has been recognized with the Minnesota ExCEL Award, earned Academic All-State honors, received the Kyle Dekam Leadership Award and was named a Coca-Cola Scholarship Semifinalist. He plans to study political science and global studies after high school.
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Feven Tesfaye, a senior at Burnsville High School, serves as a student representative on the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Board and represents Minnesota's Second Congressional District on the Minnesota Youth Council. She also serves on the board of the National Youth Leadership Council, supporting service learning initiatives nationwide.
She also works as an Environmental Activist Network Leader, coordinates the Humanity Rising Podcast, and creates speech resources through The Extemper's Bible.
In the past she has served as a youth voter outreach intern for the Minnesota Secretary of State's office and worked as a Minnesota House page. In school she holds leadership roles in speech team, student council, National Honor Society and Youth Service Council.
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Alternates to the 2026 program are Akain Liyanapathiranage, of Woodbury, a student at East Ridge High School, and Sienna Lee, of Moorhead, a student at Moorhead High School.
Delegates and alternates are selected by state departments of education nationwide and the District of Columbia and Department of Defense Education Activity, after nomination by teachers and principals.
During the program week, the student delegates attend meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court and other high-level officials.
For more information please visit: www.ussenateyouth.org.
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