Photo by JOSH MELTZER The Roanoke Times

Patrick Henry High School students (from left) Martina Hairston, Sonora Braun and Ben Ries are the first from Roanoke City Public Schools to attend the Sorensen Institute at UVa.

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For the first time since the inception of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership's high school program in 2003, students from Roanoke City Public Schools will be in there.

Starting Saturday, Sonora Braun, Martina Hairston and Ben Ries, all rising seniors at Patrick Henry High School will live and learn with 29 other Virginia high school students on the University of Virginia's campus for two weeks.

Ben, 17, said he thinks he's up for the challenge.

"I'm really interested in government and debate," he said. "This is a great opportunity to see how it's conducted."

The institute's high school program offers students the chance to study Virginia politics and government.

"After those two weeks, we hope that they'll go into their high schools and be leaders," said Marc Johnson, the Sorensen Institute's director of youth programs.

Johnson said this year's class is the largest yet. Chosen from a pool of 72 applicants, the students were selected based on regional interviews. Johnson said this year's class represents Virginia well.

All three of the Roanoke participants are considering UVa (among many other schools) after high school, but none is completely positive about what to study.

Sonora, 16, is more sure than her schoolmates -- she wants to practice international business law. She's a member of the Youth Court, a club that asks students to act as lawyers and juries for their peers.

As she prepares for her two weeks away, Martina, 17, is working her two jobs: She sands sculptures for artist Gail Geer and works at Shoe Carnival.

When she gets older, Martina hopes to become a politician so she can give back to the community she loves.

"Everyone's goal when they're young is to become president, and I'd love to be the first African-American president -- female anyway," Martina said.

The Sorensen Institute -- named for benefactor Thomas C. Sorensen in 1997 -- was founded by Charlottesville businessmen Leigh Middleditch and Michael Bills as the Virginia Institute of Political Leadership in 1993. The first class of political leaders graduated in the spring of the following year and included the late Emily Couric, who would later become a Virginia state senator.