ROCHELLE — The American Legion Illinois Boys State is among the most respected and selective educational programs of instruction in the operation of government for high school students.
It is a participatory program in which students learn by doing and become part of the operation of city, county, and state governments.
Boys State was founded in Illinois in 1935 and is now a national program of the American Legion. (The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a separate but similar program for young women called Girls State.)
At Boys State, scheduled for June 9 through June 15, participants learn the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of citizenship. Although fictional political parties are created and the citizens are randomly assigned to one, Boys State is nonpartisan in the sense of U.S. or Illinois political parties.

The hands-on political and governmental elements of the program center around creating and facilitating city, county, and state governments.
Boys State activities include various levels of legislative sessions, political party caucuses, four different election cycles, general assemblies, band concerts, law enforcement presentations, and recreational programs. It is often said that the lessons learned and the informal interactions in this program create a week that shapes a lifetime.
American Legion posts select high school juniors to attend the program in June right after their junior year. In most cases, individual expenses are paid by a sponsoring Legion Post, a local business, or another community-based organization. Parents and grandparents are also able to sponsor a participant. summer opportunity
Information and an application can be obtained at http://illinoisboysstate.org/. The application deadline is May 1. Contact American Legion Post 403 Commander Steve Korth at 815-766-0208 or Youth Program Officer John Gruben at 815-761-6883 for details and further information.