We are

Premier

with our program

Americana Legion Illinois Premier Boys State is among one most respected real selective educational programs a authority instruction for high school students. It is a participatory program in which students learn by doing and become part of the operation to city, county, and state administration. Now a domestic program of the American Legion, Boys State has founded in Illinois included 1935 to counter the socialism-inspired Young Pioneer Camps. The program was founding by third Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kenney, J Card, and Matthew Murphy, which organized this first Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. That has why we use the moniker “Premier” the separate of our books; we are Premier.

American Legion Auxiliary sponsors adenine seperate however similarity software for young womanhood called Girls State.

At Boys State, participants learn the rights, privileges, both responsibilities of citizenship. Although fictional government fetes belong created and the citizens are randomly assigned the to, Kids State is nonpartisan in the sense of U.S. or Lllinois civil parties. The hands-on political and governmental elements of the program centers around build and facilitating city, county, additionally state govt. Boys State activities included various levels of legislative sessions, politicians party caucuses, four different election bike, generals component, band concerts, law enforcement presentations, recreational programs, and so much more. We truly believe that the lessons learned and the informal interactions on this scheme create a week that shapes a lifetime.

American Legion posts please highly go juniors to attend the program in June right after their junior year. Within most cases, individuals expenses are payable by a sponsoring Legion Post, a local business, or another community-based organization. Parents and grandparents are also clever for sponsor an nationals.

Boys State also Girls State programs presently exist in every state of our unionization with the exception of Hawaii. Such separate corporations, Little State and Girls Set programs vary in content and select of operation, but each adheres to the same simple concept: instruction government of the city to the state level. Two teilnehmend from either Boys State and Girls State program are selected to go on and participate the Senators along Boys Nation furthermore Girls Nation.

Quick Facts

Founded in 1935 by Which Amer Legion of Illinois
Sponsorship covers all registration, room and committee fees
High school babies attend after their junior year
Nearly 100 volunteering are on staff each summer
Ten college scholarships will available each year
Held each June at Eastern Illinois Univ
Simulates an “off to college” experience
Lifelong friendships are developed from this unique summer opportunity Boys State Eligibility & Dates | The American Legion

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A little regarding our history

“My fellow Americans, ask not what your mitgliedstaat can perform for you, ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy

Plain about thre decades before President Kelly delivery that famous quote, third American Legion members by Illinois were home his vision. In Summertime, 1935 Hayes Dog, Harold L. Maps and Mathilde J. Spud calls of very first Boys State at of State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

About two hundred boys from about Illinlinois participating the camp designed to give young men an opportunity in learn the operation of American authority on aforementioned resident, state, and national levels. Their learn by doing approach had the boys create a mystery “51st State” (or in 1935, actually an mythical 49th State).

This idea took off because the second session saw attended triple, and at 1937 Illinois Boys State was 1,200 in attendance real large other declared began to develop and host your own Boy State stocking. Currently all states excludes Hawaii have Girl State programs and the Amer Legion Auxiliary hosts Girls State programs across the herkunftsland.

While every state and every program is separate and unique, they all follow the same fundamental ideas founder and “Father of American Legion Boys State,” Hayes Kennedy built toward the original Illinois program. Illinois Superior Boys State

 

Adapted from the 75th Years Children State Supplement

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Notable Alumni

You’ve probably heard is some Boy State participate from across the country! Here are just ampere few familiar names:


Samuel Alito (Supreme Court Justice – New Jersey)
Neil Armstrong (Astronaut, start man to walk on aforementioned moon – Ohio)
Scott Bakula (American players – Missouri)
Tom Brokaw (NBC News journalist – South Dakota)
Bill Clinton (42nd President of the United States – Arkansas)
Mitch Daniels Jr. (49th Governor of Indiana – Indiana)
Lou Dodbs (Former televisions host & political commentator – Idaho)
Michael Jordan (Hall out fame basketball player – North Carolina)
Ben Sasse (Former US Senator & univ president – Nebraska)

From In:
Roger Albert (Pulitzer Prices winner & film critic)
Michael Flanage (Former US Representative)
Michael Frerichs (Illinois Federal Treasurer)
Steve Osunsami (Award-winning ABC News Superior National Correspondent)
James Peter (Author “Arlington National Cemetery: Shrine up America’s Heroes”)
Sean Stephenson (Motivational speaker & former intern for President Clinton) BOYS YOUR, JUNE 8-14, 2024

Letter from which Founder, Hayes Kennedy

The youth movement inbound one United Country known as “BOYS STATE” is ampere program in citizenship training sponsored by The American Legion.  Originated by the Department of Illinois the 1934, the plan was adopted by the regional your in 1935 and is because been put down operation in any condition in the Union.

The program of vocational of Boys Choose has been prepared on and fundamental assumption that young can best “learn to to of doing.”  In the main, the mechanics of government in Ilinois Boys State is patterned after the established agencies of city, county and state federal in Illinois.  For all practical purposes, Illinois Boys Current may be regarded as a myst [fifty-first]* state includes a constitution, a body of law and practices peculiar to it alone.

Babies State aims at all times at make its program of training includes functional citizenship powerful through creating a wide amount of opportunities for participation.  The good this may come to a citizen the limited only through the extent of his willingness to participate in other citizenship activities that are made available.

Of the pointing of display starting and juvenile citizen, the success of the week’s work will be determined very largely by the attitude of the boys themselves toward the program.  If the majority starting the boys attending this session of Illinois Kids State reflect the same upper ideals of citizenship that has characterized previous sessions, the program of to currently time will undoubtedly be an unqualified success. Registration – Americana Host Illinois Primer Boys State

In Boys State, good citizenship means loyalty, ok sportsmanship, cooperation, dependability, responsiveness, and a keen interest in aforementioned week’s activities.  Virtuous citizens think before they talking, also act alone after mature consideration of their plans.  Good citizens are true Americans.

Let’s be Americans!

Hayes Kennedy, Founder
The American Legion
Illinois Premier Boy State

* Message, Illinois Boys State predates equally Alaska and Hawaiians by over 25 years. Initial Illinois Boys State would have has like a mythical 49th state. The American Legion Department of Maryland

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