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July 15-17, 2026

For over 20 years, our Youth Civic Leadership Institute has brought over 1,000 rising high school seniors from across Kansas for a three-day institute that features engaging speakers, a visit to the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka, collaborative activities, and more that are designed around civic engagement, leadership, and student involvement, all while fostering appreciation for and involvement in public service.

Nominations open soon

High school principals, guidance counselors, and teachers can nominate up to two (2) students at their school to participate in YCLI. Nominations and the student YCLI Questionnaire are due by April 14, 2026.

Educators across Kansas nominate YCLI students

Each spring, the Dole Institute issues a call to all accredited Kansas high schools asking educators to nominate up to two rising senior students to participate in the Youth Civic Leadership Institute.

Information about nominating a student is mailed to each accredited Kansas high school principal. During the nomination period, you can access the Nomination Form on this page, including a fillable PDF.

1,000+

Students and counselors have participated in YCLI since it was founded in 2005.

Have a question? Contact the Dole Institute’s Youth Civic Leadership Institute staff at ycli@ku.edu or (785) 864-4900.

The Dole Institute is committed to universal accessibility in all programs and resources. We are in the process of making all of our web projects fully accessible. An accessible version of the material represented on this site will be made available upon request. Please contact us at doleinstitute@ku.edu to request the material be made available in an accessible format, or for general assistance.