Pam Dudding-Burch
Contributing writer
In the coming days, four students from Craig County High School, in the 9th District, will be attending the annual Boys and Girls Auxiliary State Program for 2018.
Jeannie Guthrie and Jackie Scruggs-Taylor worked diligently to inform teachers and students of the excellent opportunity. Both are pleased to be sponsoring Caleb Todd and Winston Palmer for Boys State and Maggie Huffman and Sunny Mason for Girls State.
The American Legion Association for Virginia Boys and Girls State Sessions will be held the week of June 17-23. The boys will attend Radford University while the girls will go on to compete at Longwood College. High school juniors throughout the state of Virginia will converge, with a shared focus of creating a better government using their ideas, intuitiveness and intellect.
The program website states “these are the premier programs for teaching how government works while developing, confidence, leadership skills and an appreciation for your rights as a citizen, as well as shape many students futures.”
Guthrie added, “Students learn in depth, the rights, privileges and duties of being a United States citizen as well as understanding one’s responsibilities.”
Taylor and Guthrie agreed that, “In both Boys and Girls State, the participants will run for office, learn public speaking, create and enforce laws and actively participate in all phases of creating and running a working government.”
The American Legion Boys State has a reputation for being “among the most respected educational programs of government instruction for high school students.”
Virginia Girls State is a program of American Legion Auxiliary, the world’s largest women’s patriotic service organization that has grown to 20,000 student participants annually. “Reflections, Unity for Service not Self,” was this year’s theme.
Through this program, the American Legion Auxiliary hopes to make young citizens realize that they are an essential part of the government and are responsible for its character and success.
Girls State provides an opportunity to learn the mechanics, objectives and ideals of democracy in a few days. “Learning by doing” is said to be the keynote to the success of the program.
“I absolutely loved Girls State, and I would encourage any rising senior girl to take part in the program, even if it seems a bit out of their comfort zone,” stated Amanda Dillon, a previous recipient. “I learned so much in the week that I was there, not only concerning the workings of Virginia’s state government, but it also pushed me to work on my people skills.”
“The completion of Girl’s and Boy’s State is a plus on college applications and future resumes as well,” Taylor added. “It has also been noted that some colleges consider it an automatic entrance when a student has attended Boys or Girls State.”
The American Legion strives to provide students with an environment where they can understand the issues that face the USA and be able to develop their own views, while being engaged in leadership roles.
“They work diligently with our young people,” Marie Dobyns said years ago. “It is not unusual for them to bring in judges and special dignitaries like the Governor or State Representatives. They may get to meet the President of the United States personally.” Dobyns was an earnest advocate for the program while she was living. Sadly, she passed away last year.
The program is complemented by the many extracurricular activities such as chorus, band, sports and many other exciting events. Personal testimonies have proven that this entire program opens many doors for future employment and tremendous college opportunities.
Without question, the program would not be possible without local residents sponsoring the kids – at the cost of approximately $1,600 each.
This year, Farmers & Merchants Bank and Arvin Mickelbus are the Girls sponsors while Richard Carper IGA Express and Bill Wolfe sponsored the Boys. “Our supporters for Boy’s and Girl’s State are so wonderful, and we will continue to work with them for the future for Craig County Students,” Taylor said.
The students shared their excitement for the trip and gratitude for all who helped them to afford this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Dillon added that the program guided her with a sound instruction which gave her bold confidence to stand up in front of a room of total strangers. “I then felt comfortable to talk about my ideas and opinions without being intimidated,” she said. “I also gained a new sense of patriotism from this experience that I would not have received otherwise.”
