Nov. 17 deadline approaching for high-achieving high school students to apply for 2027 NHI summer leadership programs

MAXWELL, Texas, Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Hispanic Institute (NHI), hosting 11 leadership education experiences for aspiring leaders next June and July, invites high-achieving 9th-, 10th-, and 11th-grade students across the United States and throughout the Americas to apply by the Nov. 17 deadline.

NHI students develop their communication, public speaking, and collaboration skills to better themselves and their communities through three levels of university-hosted immersive summer programs. While students don't have to attend all three programs to benefit, the more they attend, the more their networks, experience, and opportunities expand.

More than 100,000 NHI alumni are leaders in government, business, education, health, and nonprofit sectors. 

"NHI programs started with the realization that growing Latino populations needed more leaders who could respond to their needs and advance their contributions to American society. We also believed we could identify students from these communities and develop their skills and readiness to lead," said Nicole Nieto, NHI's executive vice president. "As the programs evolved, we found that participants immediately applied what they learned at NHI in their schools and communities." 

Students committing to the full three-year NHI sequence start with the Great Debate, a public speaking-focused program where rising 10th graders learn to lead using persuasive speaking. Great Debate students build arguments, think on their feet, and speak with clarity and conviction about the issues shaping their communities. Top performers earn trophies and accolades, while all participants contribute to their teams' successes.

Rising 11th and 12th graders attend the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session (LDZ), an eight-day program where delegates create, elect, and run a government with legislative, executive, and judiciary branches. Every participating student finds a role, garnering support for their ideas, and the event culminates in an intensive three-day legislative session. 

Rising 12th graders attend the Collegiate World Series (CWS), combining two senior-oriented experiences into one program: the college application process and inquiry-based learning as a tool for decision-making in college and beyond. 

Visit the NHI website for 2027 program dates and locations, including Great Debate programs in San Diego, the Quad Cities, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio; LDZ programs in Fort Collins, Colo.; San Antonio, the New York metro area, and Cancún; and CWS programs in Denver and Houston.

Phil West, [email protected], 512.769.3838

SOURCE National Hispanic Institute