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The HSDA Summit experience involves uniting ~100 high schoolers from across the country for a series of trainings, speaker sessions, panels, tours, and networking events. The goal of our Summit is to equip young leaders with the grassroots organizing and advocacy skills needed to become “Tomorrow’s Leaders, Today’s Voices”.

We bring together the best and brightest of young Democrats and ensure they have the tools and connections they need to secure Democratic victories up and down the ballot in their communities AND empower other students around them to get involved.

Examples of previous events at HSDA Summit are: National Mall tours, lobbying on the Hill, keynotes from inspiring Democrats, and trainings on everything from electoral technology to running a local chapter to fundraising to digital organizing to leadership development.

A full Summit tuition cost is $525. If using ActBlue to submit your deposit, the price rises to $546 to account for processing fees. If this is too high of a cost for your family, please consider looking at our need-based scholarship for on our registration page.

The safety of Summit participants is our foremost priority in planning and execution of the Summit. Participants will be subject to several rules in place for the safety and security. Some of these rules include policies against wandering off, a strict no-tolerance policy towards harassment/bullying/violence/sexual activity/drug use, and a buddy system.

Many of these policies are detailed in the Rules & Expectations Acknowledgement. Additionally, the Official Bylaws of the High School Democrats of America are enforceable at Summit and, in the interest of conflict resolution, select members of Summit staff may make Bylaws rulings as they arise, to protect participants and Mentors. By attending the Summit, participants consent to the rules of the High School Democrats of America, especially our non-discrimination policy and anti-bullying policies.

Mentors are adult chaperones that are handpicked by our Summit staff to ensure participant safety and to facilitate the event. Mentors are often HSDA alumni, party officials, or other leaders with experience in politics. The High School Democrats of America will vet and trains all Mentors to ensure your child is in safe, capable hands. Mentors are each assigned a handful of participants they are responsible for during Summit. These groups will travel with their Mentor and will have room checks by their Mentor. All of these policies promote participant safety.

Of course! Participants are welcome to bring their phones along with them to Summit. Additionally, when each participant is assigned to a Mentor’s group, we will give the Mentor’s contact information to students and their parents/guardians back home.

Furthermore, the schedule for Summit will be sent to both participants and their parents/guardians. This schedule will be adhered to strictly and, if anything changes, an email blast will inform all participants and their parents.

Of course, pictures of Summit attendees will be posted to social media under the hashtag #HSDASummit24. We will also be collecting a folder of pictures that will be shared with attendees after Summit’s conclusion.

Unless you have been pre-approved as a Mentor by Summit staff, you may not stay with Summit participants at American University. However, you may choose to travel on your own and stay in D.C. during Summit if you wish. We will not cover any expenses you incur if you choose to travel in Washington, D.C., including transportation or meals. The majority of Summit programming will not be open to the public, including parents. This includes our time inside the Capitol building or congressional offices, certain events inside American University, and other closed events.

No. Summit spaces are only open during designated hours. If you arrive in Washington, D.C. early, we cannot provide transportation from the airport to anywhere else. We recommend that you take advantage of your extra time in the city by exploring free tourist destinations not covered in Summit programming.

Yes. Participants who spend a reduced time at Summit are still required to pay full tuition costs. The High School Democrats of America, Mentors, nor Summit staff will provide for a way for your child to arrive or exit American University or Summit-related events in the case of late arrival or early departure. We require that minors (under age 18) be picked up by the legal parent/guardians listed on their paperwork for safety reasons — IDs will be checked; rideshares and taxis are not acceptable ways to depart Summit early. Lastly, if you are planning to arrive late or depart early, please notify Summit staff (Luke Netto or Annika Krovi) immediately. Late arrivals or early departures will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

We had an emergency come up, can my child leave without prior notification? In the event that your child must leave early due to an emergency, the procedure for departure is the same. We will require a check out with the parent/guardian and participant, after giving notice to the student’s mentor and HSDA’s leadership team.

Our budget for Summit factors in scholarships that can assist participants who need some or all of their tuition covered. Applications for scholarships open on May 13th and close on May 27th. We require financial documentation for scholarship recipients, as we only award need-based scholarships.

Summit tuition covers all costs associated with Summit excluding travel. Group meals, lodging, transportation in D.C., and other costs are covered by tuition. All participants must make their own plans to arrive in the Reagan International Airport or Union Station where Mentors will provide “shuttle” transportation to American University. Students may also arrive directly to American University.

Summit tuition does NOT cover travel to and from DC and any extra purchases made by students during their time in DC (outside of the meals and metro transportation provided by HSDA).

Unfortunately, the HSDA Summit operates on a non-refundable basis. Money that is paid towards registration tuition cannot be refunded.

Applicable statutes and our Bylaws protect your data from being shared publicly. Your Health forms will be shared with the participant’s Mentor(s) for health and safety reasons. Waivers and Release of Liability forms will be kept on file by Summit staff and legal counsel, as well as anyone who requests the form as part of litigation or due diligence. The Rules & Expectations Acknowledgment will be kept on file and may be referenced at any time during Summit. If there is a data leak and we are aware that your information has been shared, we will alert you immediately.

To prepare for Summit, we recommend that your child bring a change of clothes for each day, as well as appropriate clothes for sleeping. Other needed items include hygiene products, formal clothes for formal meetings, spending money for time in the city, and a pair of good walking shoes. Non-necessary but potentially useful items include sunscreen, a laptop or other device, and a swimsuit. An itemized packing list will be sent to all participants several weeks prior to Summit.

Worried your child will forget something? Mentors may take a select group of participants to a drugstore to purchase items that they may have forgotten as needed. The High School Democrats of America will not cover the costs of anything forgotten, lost, or stolen before, during, or after Summit.

The Summit Staff is another term for the members of the HSDA National Summit Steering Committee. The members of the Committee can be seen here. In addition to Summit staff, adult mentors will be present at Summit.

We appreciate your interest in supporting high schoolers as they explore politics and activism at Summit. Please consider donating at this link. Your contribution helps us enhance the Summit experience, make Summit more accessible, and can even help fund the next HSDA Summit. If you have questions about how you contribution will make a difference, please contact our Summit Staff.