Boys State and Girls State, summer leadership and citizenship programs sponsored by The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary, is a camp designed for high school students between their junior and senior years.
The programs are held in each of the United States excluding Hawaii.
This year’s Palmetto Girls State program was held on the campus of Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina. Boys State was held on the campus of the University of South Carolina.
Program participants are divided up into subgroups that are given city names. The "citizens" of each of these cities then elect mock municipal officials and representatives to the mock State Legislature. The participants elect state officials, such as Governor, Lieutenant Governor and other state-level officials that their real state has. The legislature then meets to organize, elect leaders, and to pass bills, in a way that is similar to how their actual legislature operates.
Cities also compete for ribbons in athletics, spirit, college bowl trivia, and other events. Citizens may also participate in a media school, which publishes a daily paper, nightly news videos, and conducts web updates regularly. They may also participate in a law school, which conducts mock trials, a criminal justice academy, and a Boys State band.
“When I first arrived at Boy’s State I had my doubts about it. I thought I would be bored, but it turned out to be an awesome experience, “said Pinewood attendee Paul Bogensberger. “ I met kids from all over the state. I learned about them, and the schools they attended. I was interested to find things out about parts of South Carolina that I had never been to, or even heard of. I was honored to have been chosen to attend Boys State and would tell anyone else given the opportunity to go, that it is an experience you shouldn’t pass up!”
Boys/Girls State is staffed by members and community leaders who volunteer their time and effort to this enterprise. Delegates to Boys/Girls State are selected on the basis of potential leadership qualities and must be between their Junior and Senior years in high school to qualify. It is an honor to be chosen as a delegate to Palmetto State programs. These students have shown strong character, have leadership capabilities, and have shown loyalty to their high school.
Speakers from years past include Senator Strom Thurmond, Senator Ernest F. "Fritz" Hollings, Governors Dick Riley, Carroll Campbell, David Beasley, and Jim Hodges, Speaker of the House David Wilkins, Congressmen Lindsey Graham and James Clyburn.
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