American Legion Boys State is among the nation’s most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U.S. high school students — a participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government. Boys State was founded in 1935 to counter the socialism-inspired Young Pioneer Camps and the first program, an idea of two Illinois Legionnaires, was held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.
Buckeye Boys State (BBS) was organized in 1938 and the first program was conducted at the Ohio State Fairground. BBS is a week-long experience in the operation of the democratic form of government, the organization of political parties and the relationship between them in shaping government, through a non-partisan educational approach.
Locally, the program is open to all junior boys in Clinton County, with representatives chosen from the applications submitted by the high schools to a committee of legionnaires whose selection criteria is set by the local, state, and national organization. Buckeye Boys State is the largest Boys State program in the U.S. with over 1,200 students from 500+ schools from all over Ohio participating each year.
This year there were six students from Wilmington High School and three from Clinton-Massie High School that Wilmington Veterans Post 49 sponsored for the 2016 BBS program held at Bowling Green State University.
On Oct. 25, the BBS class of 2016 graduates were recognized in a special program at the Post home by Wilmington Mayor John Stanforth, Clinton County Auditor Terry Habermehl on behalf of the County Commissioners and Alissa Sarko for Speaker of the House Cliff Rosenberger.
The students in the BBS class of 2016 are: Brodie Back, WHS; Chad Davis, WHS; Osvaldo Gonzalez, WHS; Alex Hudson, CMHS; Cole Isaacs, CMHS; Michael Persson, WHS; Gage Smith, WHS; Isaiah Turner, CMHS; and Nicholas Whiting, WHS.
Any current Clinton County high school junior interested in applying for the Buckeye Boys State class of 2017, can obtain an application from their government teacher anytime after Feb. 1, 2017 or contact Paul Butler at [email protected].
