Teens Speak Up! & Public Policy Institute

One teen living with epilepsy per state or territory covered by a local Epilepsy Foundation office will be selected to participate in the TSU program. One family member (e.g. parent or legal guardian) must accompany the teen. Selected participants will have the opportunity to visit the nation's capital to receive advocacy training and meet with their members of Congress and their staff to share their experiences and discuss issues that are vital to the epilepsy community. TSU is also an incredible connection opportunity—allowing teens to connect not only with their elected officials but also with other teens across the country living with or impacted by epilepsy.  

As noted in our diversity statement, the Epilepsy Foundation recognizes that to fulfill our mission to serve all people affected by epilepsy and seizures, it must acknowledge the diverse makeup of the epilepsy community and the people who work to fulfill the mission. To that end, The Foundation affirms its commitment to reflect the diversity of American society in its Board of Directors, staff, and programs including TSU. The Epilepsy Foundation is focused on ensuring that the programs and services offered including the 2025 TSU & PPI are inclusive for all and serve the community equitably.  

Travel and lodging expenses are paid for each selected teen and family member representing the local Epilepsy Foundation office. Please be advised that each local office handles costs associated with travel and lodging differently.

After the conference, each teen is asked to turn their training into action in their respective communities through a Year of Service (YOS). Thanks to the generous support of the Charles L. Shor Foundation, each teen will be eligible to receive a $1,000 stipend with the completion of at least 65 volunteer hours, 2 epilepsy awareness or wellness events, and at least 3 additional meetings with legislative offices after TSU.  

What is the nomination process and the selection criteria?

This year, all interested teens must self-nominate. All self-nomination forms will be sent to the Epilepsy Foundation of America. The forms will then be shared with the respective local Epilepsy Foundation office. The local office will review all nomination forms and under their purview, they may reach out to nominees with additional questions and/or to request an interview. The local offices will submit a maximum of 3 nomination forms to the Nomination Review Committee. To avoid bias, this committee will be comprised of staff from the Epilepsy Foundation of America.  

The Nomination Review Committee will utilize a scoring rubric and consider the following criteria:

• Commitment to participation in the conference and Year of Service
• Level of engagement with local Epilepsy Foundation office, other epilepsy-related organizations, or community service and/or leadership roles
• Nominee’s self-expression and interests
• Nominee’s discussion of what advocacy means to them
• Nominee’s discussion of why they would be a good candidate for the TSU program
• Willingness to share epilepsy journey

The committee seeks teens who have not had the opportunity to participate in TSU previously. In most cases, it is recommended that teens who have attended TSU previously and would like to return are nominated as Ambassadors. There is a separate nomination form for Ambassadors.