Live Free & Lead

08/17/2026

08/17/2026

For our final session of the summer, students presented their bill drafting projects. Topics ranged from education to EMT working conditions to ADUs, with our young leaders diving deep into their passions! This was a great first summer and we are so proud of all of our students!

08/16/2026

New Hampshire’s Executive Council is a unique and important check on executive power. We were pleased to sit down with Councilors John Stephen and Karen Liot Hill for a bipartisan discussion on the work of the Council in scrutinizing the Governor’s nominations and state contracts!

08/14/2026

To learn about the judicial branch, we visited the NH Supreme Court to hear from Judge Tanya Spony, Clerks Alex Schmitt & Ben Chapman, and Justices Melissa Countway & Brian Gould! Each guest provided a unique perspective on how the judiciary delivers justice for Granite Staters!

08/12/2026

Our students visited Granite Place to hear from Diocese of Manchester Public Policy Director Bob Dunn on Concord lobbying and New Hampshire Institute of Politics Director Neil Levesque on media literacy and the First in the Nation Primary before stepping up to the mic to present their own bills in a mock committee!
There is a lot more to the legislative process than just a simple vote, and our young leaders are taking that to heart!

08/05/2026

Our students received an informative and engaging presentation from Secretary of State David Scanlan, former Congressman Charlie Bass, and former Ambassador Richard Swett on the work of the Democracy Defense Project in promoting election security and trust in the Granite State!
Congressman Bass and Ambassador Swett once ran against each other for Congress, and despite their past differences, they work together to promote bipartisanship and the importance of building trust in the results of our electoral process. Thank you both for joining us!

08/02/2026

Our young leaders have been busy learning about the legislature!
They had the chance to meet with NH Senate President Sharon Carson to speak about the role of leadership and committees in the legislative process, House Clerk Paul Smith on the importance of parliamentary procedure and House Rules to maintaining order, and Director of Legislative Services Courtney Eschbach on the bill and amendment drafting process.

Thank you to our guests for presenting a comprehensive view of how a bill works its way through the system in New Hampshire!

07/14/2026

Week 2 of Live Free & Lead brought our students into New Hampshire history and introduced them to the legislative branch!

On Wednesday, we visited the New Hampshire Historical Society to learn about the Granite State’s unique and storied impact on our nation, from its founding to the modern day.

On Friday, students got an introduction to the legislative process and got to have lunch with their state representatives and senators! In the afternoon, we made an unexpected stop in the House chamber to watch the unveiling of the new State House portrait of Wentworh Cheswill, the first African American to hold public office in the United States (and he’s from New Hampshire!). It’s always exciting to learn new things about our state’s history and legacy of trailblazing service.

We’d like to thank the New Hampshire Historical Society for hosting us, as well as all of the legislators who visited with our students on Friday; we appreciate you supporting our next generation of leaders!

07/09/2026

Week 1 of Live Free and Lead was a huge success! Our students are energized and excited to learn and to lead! Here’s a recap:
Day 1: Students got a tour of the State House from Visitors Center Director Virginia Drew, followed by an explainer of the program and the difference between state and federal government and why state government is so important in our federalist system.
Day 2: We visited the New Hampshire State Archives to hear from State Archivist Ashley Miller about New Hampshire history and the 250th anniversary of our state and nation, and from Secretary of State David Scanlan on election integrity and the First in the Nation presidential primary!

We’re excited to kick off this summer and to continue to see our students learn and grow!

06/12/2026

There’s still time! Register for Live Free & Lead now to learn from the people who lead New Hampshire this summer. Register now at livefreeandlead.org