Patriotic Education Program

The Military Order’s® Patriotic Education Program focuses on youth education, development, and recognition. MOWW’s Patriotic Education Program consists of the following elements:

Youth Leadership Conference®

Multi-Day Youth Leadership Conferences (YLCs) are funded educational conferences providing US high school students the chance to develop leadership skills via patriotic education. YLCs are approved as meeting National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) program standards and included in the List of Approved Contests and Activities for Students. YLC classes are led by skilled instructors and supervised by well-qualified team leaders and counselors. Classes are participatory. The goal is 50% of class time is dedicated to leadership; 30% of class time devoted to the US government, US history and the US Constitution, Patriotism, and Americanism; and 20% devoted to the Free Enterprise System and the US economy. These conferences often involve partners represented by its Resolutions of Cooperation, e.g., Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership, the National Sojourners and the Joe Foss Institute.

2024 Youth Leadership Conference Schedule

Youth Leadership Conference® Phoenician Essay Contest

An extension of the YLC, MOWW annually conducts a national essay competition, the Phoenician Essay Contest, open to the top 3 students for each YLC. After the contest results, the National Winner, First Runner-Up and Second Runner-Up are presented the Phoenician Award and cash prizes during local ceremonies attended by family, friends, schools, government and media.

Youth Leadership Seminars (YLS)

MOWW Youth Leadership Seminars (YLS) are one-day educational seminars similar to the YLC. Shorter duration, YLSs are focused on specialized topics such as civics, law & order, flag education, etc.

2024 Youth Leadership Seminar Schedule

Massing of the Colors (MOC)

Massing of the Colors is a patriotic ceremony held to rededicate our faith in the United States, to present our support to the National Colors, and the Servicemen and Servicewomen those Colors represent. MOWW chapters conduct Massing of the Colors ceremonies throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. These ceremonies usually involve color guard units from: Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard military units; Senior and Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) units; armed services auxiliary organizations; state militias; veteran and civic groups; police, sheriff and fire departments; and Boy Scout and Girl Scout organizations.

2024 Massing of the Colors Schedule

Youth Leadership Conference Resource Center

2022-2023 NASSP List of Approved Contests, Programs and Activities for Students

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) has placed MOWW’s Youth Leadership Conference (YLC) Program on the 2022-2023 NASSP List of Approved Contests, Programs and Activities for Students.