American Legion sends two delegates to Boys State

ALBANY — Two area high school students will travel to Gainesville this summer to participate in the American Legion Boys State program that gives participating high school students the opportunity to see first-hand how local and state government works.

American Legion Post 512 recently selected Khevon Thomas of Westover High School to serve as Supreme Court Justice and Dejuan Canty of Westover to serve as State Representative at Boys State.

American Legion Post 512, located at 815 Willie Pitts Road in Albany, sponsors various children’s programs throughout the year, including American Legion Boys State. It is an annual program designed to give high school boys who have completed their junior year an opportunity to spend a week learning about government in a camplike environment.

“These boys have demonstrated leadership, loyalty and service in their school and community,” said Charles Slaughter, Post 512’s Boys State advisor.

According to Slaughter, area high school counselors make the recommendations.

“We used to get a lot of recommendations, but summer sports and other activities often take up the interests of high school boys, and in recent years the number nominated for this program has declined,” Slaughter added.

The entire trip and accommodations are paid for by the local American Legion, Slaughter said.

Georgia Boys State is a comprehensive one-week course in state and local government. This year’s session will be held at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville.

Officials say Boys State is a “leadership action program” through which qualified male high school rising seniors take part in a practical government course. It is designed to develop a working knowledge of the structure of government and to impress upon young citizens the fact that our government is just what we make it, said Slaughter.

Along the way, delegates have the opportunity to learn the political process by organizing a mythical 51st state. Each level of government is run by delegates who are elected to serve. Instruction is presented on the law and court system, parliamentary procedure and Georgia political history.

The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a separate but similar program for young ladies called Girls State.

After being elected locally, both Thomas and Canty have the opportunity to be elected to serve Boys State on the state and national level in positions that mirror the three branches of the U.S. Government, said Slaughter.