Twenty students from across the country were selected to participate in a highly competitive civic education and leadership development program after earning a Bill of Rights Institute Student Fellowship. Two of those students are from Salt Lake County.

Vitalia Sun, a junior at Waterford School in Sandy, and Nivetha Karthikeyan, a senior at Providence Hall High in Herriman, will be part of the rigorous academic program, which includes a trip to Philadelphia. The six-month educational opportunity teaches students to develop leadership skills necessary to build a civil society. 

As a Midvale resident, Vitalia is excited to be part of the Bill of Rights Institute, a nonprofit that creates educational civics and history programs. She said she’s witnessed firsthand how the stifling of free speech, often as a result of self-censorship due to fear of retribution, can silently weaken our social fabric.

“One of the key values of being American is the freedom of speech, established by the First Amendment of the Constitution,” Vitalia said. “The implications of freedom of speech extend far beyond what is often thought, as free exchange of ideas without the fear of persecution guarantees our liberty and strengthens our democracy…I hope to deepen my knowledge of the ideals and principles at the core of our nation, many of which, like the freedom of speech, are enshrined in the first 10 amendments.”

Karthikeyan, a Herriman resident, applied for the program as part of an extra credit assignment for her AP government class. She was thrilled and surprised to be selected and she’s looking forward to making new connections, meeting a diverse group of students and getting to know future civic leaders in the country.

“I want people to put more effort, or at least take more interest, in civic duties and what it really means to be citizens of the U.S.,” she said. “I want more people to thoughtfully interact with what we can do to better our communities, because that’s what civics is. It doesn’t have to be truly political. It’s about being compassionate with our own local communities, like here in Utah or Herriman, or on a national scale.”

The 20 students will meet virtually every two weeks to discuss things like how to be a mentor, how to create community interaction and engagement, and how they can contribute to the overall good of the country.

In July, the Student Fellows will travel to Philadelphia to learn more about U.S. history, meet with civic leaders and take part in activities and projects. Previous participants have met with members of Congress, toured historic sites in the nation’s capital and even started initiatives in their local communities.

“At the Bill of Rights Institute, we equip students to become principled, productive citizens,” said Bill of Rights Institute President and CEO David Bobb. “Our Student Fellowship Program provides some of our most gifted young people an opportunity to explore our nation’s principles and civic virtues and gain the skills to positively shape its future.”

This year’s student fellows were chosen through a national process that included being nominated by educators and composing essays that explored topics about leadership and how to be a good citizen. For more information, visit billofrightsinstitute.org.

“One focus of the fellowship is civic participation, and the knowledge and skills gained through the fellowship will allow me to become more effective in promoting free exchange of ideas in my school, my community and beyond,” Vitalia said. “This, in turn, can inspire more youth to proudly embrace the founding principles of our nation. In a sense, the fellowship will not only benefit me but will also help prepare many more youth for the future through my actions.”