From June 28th to July 3rd, the 2025 Boys State Program will be held at the University of New Haven. The American Legion Boys State of Connecticut is a six-day hands on experience in the operations and fundamentals of the government. Boys State strives to assemble a community of the best and brightest high school juniors to help lead them down the path of individual success and leadership through participation, not just observation.
“If you’re looking to get involved in politics, it’s a really great opportunity to get that real world experience,” SWHS history teacher, Lindsay McGinn said.
Are you interested in making a difference through politics? This program might be for you.
There are so many different positions for participants to fill, and every position has an important role in the body of the government. One of the main fundamentals at Connecticut Boys State is that the individual is the one with the power to change the world. Whether athlete or politician, journalist, or scientist, each and every one of us has the power to make a difference in the world.
“We suggest to the students that come to pick something they are passionate about,” a member of American Legion, Roger Anderson, said while speaking to SWHS students about this program.
This program is an opportunity to meet new people and work together while learning independence with the responsibilities of your role. Boys State teaches students the need for competition, the value of public service, and the strength of individual voice and vote.
The objective of Boys State is to simulate local government by having students manage and govern their assigned “towns.” Participants are randomly placed into different towns, where they work together to propose laws, elect officials, and address community challenges.
During the week of this program, the participants have a set schedule and partake in many different activities.
Attendees wake up around 7-8am; after breakfast, the students attend daily opening ceremonies. The students then meet up with their “towns” to communicate about elections, laws, etc. Each day has breaks for lunch, dinner, and recreation. After lunch and dinner, students hold sessions for bill writing and voting. Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to hear speeches from various guest speakers. Finally, the day ends, and the students meet with their counselors before heading to bed.
The main focus of Boys State is a model state government. These students will experience what it would be like to work in one of these positions. Elections are held for positions like senator, judge, mayor, and governor. Students will write and vote for laws; these laws can impact attendees “towns”, or Boys State as a whole.
Citizens of The American Legion Boys State of Connecticut are eligible to receive college credit and scholarships for participating and successfully completing Boys State.
