LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County American Legion Post 194 recently sent a record number of outstanding local students to participate in the annual Boys and Girls State program.
The post honored five Kelseyville High school students, one student from Clear Lake High School in Lakeport and one student from Upper Lake High School, all of whom completed a weeklong trip to the State Capitol in June to represent the post at the 2013 American Legion Boys and Girls State program.
A dinner was held in their honor and each was presented an award for their participation.
The students selected are Kristina Bour, Justin Johnson, Max Lehman, Kyle Schmidt and Aaron Fultz from Kelseyville High School, Ian Seevers from Upper Lake High School and Brian Gatton from Clear Lake High School.
The schools recommend their most qualified students to the local American Legion, which in turn conducts interviews and selects its representatives for the program.
Only those who illustrate leadership, character, scholarship, loyalty and service in their schools and community are considered.
Lake County American Legion officials said the organization was excited to send a record number of students this year from Lake County because the American Legion Boys State is among the 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.
The program was the idea of two Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, who organized the first Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.
American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a separate but similar program for young women called Girls State.
At Boys State, participants learn the rights, privileges and responsibilities of franchised citizens. The training is objective and centers on the structure of city, county and state governments.
Operated by students elected to various offices, Boys State activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, choruses and recreational programs.
Legion posts select high school juniors to attend the program. In most cases, individual expenses are paid by a sponsoring post, a local business or another community-based organization.