{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mcbride.house.gov/media/press-releases/mcbride-coons-blunt-rochester-welcome-students-statewide-2026-delaware", "McBride, Coons, Blunt Rochester welcome students statewide for 2026 Delaware Congressional Delegation Youth Conference", "2026-05-19", "2026", "2026-05", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Sarah McBride", "M001238", "mcbride.house.gov", "mcbride", "https://mcbride.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "DOVER \u2013 On Monday, May 18, 2026, U.S. Representative Sarah McBride and U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) welcomed more than 100 high school juniors and seniors from up and down Delaware for the 2026 Delaware Congressional Delegation Youth Conference at Wilmington University\u2019s Dover campus.\n\nStudents from schools throughout all three counties spent the day participating in discussions focused on civic engagement, leadership, and public service. Programming included a student town hall with members of Delaware\u2019s congressional delegation, interactive breakout sessions on public policy and school safety, and community service projects supporting the Food Bank of Delaware and Pressley Ridge-Delaware. Senator Coons led one of this year\u2019s breakout sessions, \u201cOpportunity, Security and Justice,\u201d focused on the American dream, policymaking, and how young people can help shape the future of their communities and country. The other sessions were hosted by Wilmington Mayor John Carney (D), who presented \u201cPathways to Public Service,\u201d and State Representative Mike Smith (R-Pike Creek Valley), who presented \u201cSafety at School.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis annual event gives our congressional delegation the opportunity to hear directly from Delaware students about their concerns and their vision for a stronger future for our state and nation,\u201d said Rep. McBride. \"Building that future starts with investing in young people and ensuring they have the support and space to lead with creativity, innovation, and compassion \u2014 today. I\u2019m grateful to Senator Coons and Senator Blunt Rochester for their continued partnership in making this conference possible.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery year, this conference demonstrates how thoughtful, engaged, and motivated Delaware\u2019s young people are,\u201d said Senator Coons. \u201cStudents asked challenging questions, shared their perspectives openly, and showed a real commitment to improving their communities through service and civic participation. I\u2019m grateful to Senator Blunt Rochester, Congresswoman McBride, Wilmington University, and all of our community partners for helping make this year\u2019s conference such a success.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur democracy is strongest when young people are engaged, informed, and empowered to lead,\u201d said Senator Blunt Rochester. \u201cFrom their thoughtful questions to their bold ideas, these students remind me why I remain hopeful about the next generation of leaders. I\u2019m grateful to Senator Coons and Congresswoman McBride for their partnership in continuing this important tradition of civic engagement and public service.\u201d\n\n\u201cI always love the chance to engage with students,\u201d said Rep. Smith. \u201cI appreciate Senator Coons and his office affording me the opportunity. Students today are growing up in an ever-changing environment shaped by social media. These types of events are extremely important to break down the political divide and showcase the breadth and depth of what policymaking is all about. I really enjoyed the group I got to interact with, putting them through a thoughtful exercise of what considerations go into policymaking in a real world, practical way.\u201d\n\n\u201cConnecting with Delaware students is always a reminder that the future of our state is in good hands,\u201d said Mayor Carney. \u201cThank you to Delaware\u2019s congressional delegation for inviting me to share my path in public service, and for the opportunity to hear directly from students about their hopes for their futures and their communities.\u201d\n\nThe conference also included participation from local service organizations, volunteer groups, higher education representatives, and public service programs, giving students opportunities to explore future pathways in civic leadership and community engagement. For more photos from the event, [CLICK HERE].\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-25T06:30:03Z", "2026-06-25T06:31:21Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mcbride.house.gov/media/press-releases/mcbride-coons-blunt-rochester-welcome-students-statewide-2026-delaware"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0069061536341906, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}