Philadelphia public high school students and teachers are invited to apply for the inaugural Young Philadelphians’ Continental Congress (YPhCC), a new American history and civics program created through a partnership between the School District of Philadelphia and Carpenters’ Hall, the site of the nation’s First Continental Congress in 1774.
The program will select 20–25 student-teacher teams — each team made up of one high school student and one teacher from the same school — to serve as “delegates.” Applications are open through Dec. 5, and selected participants will be notified in early 2026.
Delegates will meet on five Saturdays from January through April 2026 at Carpenters’ Hall and nearby historic institutions including the Museum of the American Revolution, National Constitution Center, National Liberty Museum and Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Eligible applicants include high school social studies, history and civics teachers and high school sophomores, juniors or seniors from neighborhood, citywide, special-admission and public charter schools. The goal is to include at least one team from every councilmanic district.
Participation is free. Each student delegate will receive a $500 scholarship, and each teacher will receive a $1,000 stipend plus professional development credits. Transportation and meals will be provided.
YPhCC expands upon the Young People’s Continental Congress (YPCC), a national weeklong program that has brought students and teachers from across the country to Philadelphia for civic engagement and historical study. The national YPCC will return for a third and final time in July 2026 as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, while YPhCC is planned to continue beyond the Semiquincentennial.
Councilman Isaiah Thomas recently announced the local YPhCC initiative during a City Council meeting, saying “through the Young Philadelphians’ Continental Congress, dozens of students and teachers right here in our city will be able to gather, learn and be inspired.”
“The Young Philadelphians’ Continental Congress will strengthen students’ understanding of democracy, connect history to civic action and support the School District of Philadelphia’s goals for history and social studies,” said Michael Norris, executive director of Carpenters’ Hall. “As residents of the city where the United States was born, young Philadelphians are uniquely positioned to use the lessons of history to shape their future. We’re grateful for the mayor’s and city’s support in creating this opportunity for students and in helping build a legacy for 2026.”
“The deliberate alignment of history and active civic engagement for our high school students will have a lasting impact on their education and our society,” Tony B. Watlington, Superintendent of School District of Philadelphia, wrote in a 2022 letter of endorsement of YPhCC.
YPhCC is made possible through support from the City of Philadelphia, as part of its Semiquincentennial commemorations, the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial and The Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest at Villanova University.
“Encouraging a historically informed public is central to the Lepage Center’s mission, and thus we are thrilled to support this opportunity for Philadelphia students to engage with history that is foundational to our country and happening in the birthplace of American democracy,” said Paul Rosier, director of The Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest at Villanova University. “Through public events and programs, the Lepage Center provides historical scholarship and historical perspectives as resources for understanding the present.”
Applications are open through Dec. 5.
For more information or to apply, visit https://company.carpentershall.org/pages/young-philadelphians-continental-congress. ••
