September 2, 2026
For Mars Hill Academy junior Emma St. Clair, summer vacation included congressional leaders, national policy debates, historic sites, and a competition that earned her team an award of distinction. The experience came through the Heritage Foundation’s Llyod and Bea Smith High School Fellowship in Washington, D.C.
"I first heard about the Fellowship while at the Heritage Foundation on the annual Worldview Summit trip," Emma said. "After receiving some encouragement from people around me and doing some of my own research on the fellowship, I decided to apply."
During the fellowship, students heard from national leaders, toured historic sites in the nation's capital, and collaborated on policy research and presentations.
"The trip had a lot of highlights, and picking just a few is not easy!" Emma said. She especially enjoyed hearing from Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan and Texas Congressman Chip Roy, touring the National Mall during America's 250th anniversary celebrations, and participating in the fellowship's Policy Capstone Project.
Working as part of a student team, Emma helped develop and defend a legislative proposal focused on the H-1B visa program. Their presentation earned second place and received the John Adams Prize.
Beyond the academic experience, Emma said the fellowship deepened her understanding of conservatism.
“The most valuable thing I learned was the true mission of conservatism. The conservative philosophy seeks to enable the greatest number of people to live the good life, building on four foundations: faith, family, friends, and function (or work). This vision is possible, but only if every generation chooses to pursue the good life as its ultimate goal.”
She was also encouraged by the relationships she formed with students from around the country.
"I was surprised by the friendships that I made at the fellowship," Emma said. "I really appreciated the conversations I got to have about faith, conservatism, and even just life outside of Ohio. I'm still connected with many of the students from the fellowship, and I am excited to continue growing the relationships I made as friends and colleagues."
Emma credits her classical Christian education at Mars Hill Academy with preparing her to engage deeply with the fellowship's content.
"My time at Mars Hill helped prepare me for the fellowship by giving me a head start on a lot of the foundational learning," she said. "Throughout the trip, many speakers and tour guides referenced Scripture, ancient stories and customs, and past beliefs to help educate us on the history of America and the state of our country today. Thanks to the last two years at Mars Hill, I was able to make deeper connections through what I had already learned."
Reflecting on the experience, Emma expressed gratitude for the opportunity and encouraged other students to consider applying in the future.
"I had a great time on this trip, and I am so happy and grateful that I got to go," she said. "Not only is it a great learning experience and a ton of fun, but it allowed me to make so many connections and do things I probably never would have gotten the opportunity to do otherwise."
Visit https://www.heritage.org/high-school-fellowship to learn more about the Lloyd and Bea Smith High School Fellowship.