Get ready for American Legion Oklahoma Boys State, Girls State

Dear Editor, In the coming months, American Legion Posts across Oklahoma will speak to high school juniors along with their parents about attending the American Legion Oklahoma Boy State and Girls State.

For 2024, Boys State will be at Rogers State University May 25-June 1, and Girls State will be at University of Central Oklahoma May 26-31.

Carnie Welch Post 27 in Sallisaw has a limited number of slots for Boys State and Girls State. It is in the process of preparing to speak to students to see if they want to attend this year’s event. Post 27 will also talk with a number of Sequoyah County high school counselors to make arrangements to speak to students at their schools, but we are also interested in speaking with parents and students who are in an accredited Home School program.

Finally, Post 27 is also working on having those students who attended Boys State and Girls State in previous years share their experiences, which is usually better than reading about it in a pamphlet or an article.

Usually, people think American Legion Boys State and Girls State only teach students about how government works on the city, county and state levels. While that is taught, more happens during that time from home. Activities let them get hands-on experience in different areas, as well as lets them enjoy activities they may already be interested in like music, sports and other activities.

Toward the end of both Boys State and Girls State, two members at each event will be chosen to attend on the national level near our nation’s capital. These events are known as Boys Nation and Girls Nation. At that level, they will learn and sometimes observe how our government operates on the federal level. They will see interesting sites and hear from those within the federal government.

In 2017, a young man from Sequoyah County was chosen to attend Boys Nation. Later, after he attended some college, he was accepted into Harvard University Law School.

While at Boys State and Girls State, everyone is eligible to earn scholarship funding from different organizations. Each individual must put forth the effort toward earning the scholarship funding. This is especially essential, since center colleges and military academies look at how much the student participated, their willingness to lead and how they worked with the other attendees, which affords opportunities to make new friends. Some have become friends for life.

On the Carnie Welch American Legion Post 27 Facebook page are photos and videos from the 2023 Boys State and Girls State. What was shared on this page was not all that happened at those events. The post hopes to share more photos and videos when our members meet with those interested in attending the 2024 Boys State and Girls State events.

For more information, email Carnie Welch Post 27 at americanlegionoklahomapost27@gmail.com. Also check Oklahoma American Legion Boys State or ALA Oklahoma Girls State Facebook pages, which also provide their website addresses.

Robert E. Murchison American Legion Post, Sallisaw