Hoosier Boys/Girls State

Hoosier+Boys%2FGirls+State

Over this summer girls and boys from all over Indiana separately got to attend an event called Hoosier Boys/Girls state. It was hosted at Trine University where five hundred junior girls and five hundred junior boys got picked to stay for a week. Hoosier Boys State took place the week of June 16 and Hoosier Girls State took place the week of June 23. This event is dedicated to teaching young men and women about government, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship.They are taught many leadership qualities by creating a fake government where they have to participate in elections, propose laws, negotiate bills. 

 

The idea of Boys/Girls state was first brought up in 1935 by Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card in Illinois.The Indiana Department of The American Legion soon followed Illinois and had their very first state program in 1937. The very first Hoosier state was hosted at the field house of Butler University. It has been hosted at many places since including Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indiana State School for the Deaf, Indiana University, Indiana State University, and Trine State University.The reason they started was to show kids the importance and value of our government and how we can preserve it. This program helps build real-world, and leadership qualities to be able to use in the future. It also helps students better their understanding of the government, and improve speaking skills.

 

To be able to attend Hoosier state students have to have completed your junior year of high school, and must have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher. Then fill out an application answering a couple of questions and submit it. The application will be evaluated by what students are the most well-rounded, and show the most leadership, and honesty skills. The trip will be paid for by a sponsor but students are expected to pay a $35 non-refundable application fee. There will usually only be two delegates of each gender chosen to represent each high school that submits an application. After selected the students are able to attend an orientation with their parents. They have ten different orientations for different districts so students can go to the one closest to them.This will give them information about what they will be doing and what to expect.

 

There are many pros from getting selected for this event. They will be able to take away so many new skills from this experience. It’s also a great thing to have for scholarships and on college applications.They get to learn by participating in a mock government and will work together with students and staff from all across Indiana building relationships and experiences. Not only will they learn all these new skills, but they will make many new friends along the way. Students get to stay in the dorms with a roommate for the whole week.

 

There were five students that got picked to represent Lewis Cass. Their names are Grace Seals, Addison Ousley, Quinton Keller, Aiden Martinez, and John Miller. These students got a great opportunity to make new friends and learn lifelong skills. They also got the opportunity to make new lifelong friends along the way.