Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry announced today that applications are open for the 2026 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award, which honors Louisiana youth who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and civic contributions in their communities.
Submissions will be accepted through 4:30 p.m. on November 20.
Established by the National Association of Secretaries of State in 2021, the award honors the accomplishments of late Congressman John Lewis. Each year, NASS members recognize gifted, civic-minded young individuals in their state who demonstrate leadership and are motivated to improve their communities.
How to be eligible. The nominee must be 25 years of age or younger at the time of the award presentation. The nominee is recognized for leadership and for being civic-minded in the community. The recipient has shown a meaningful commitment to bring about positive change in the community.
To apply, individuals may either be nominated by someone else or nominate themselves by visiting the Secretary of State's website, sos.la.gov, and completing the online application.
A winner will be selected by the end of November and will compete with other award winners from other states at the national level.