Schools ignore Legion’s Evergreen Boys and Girls State invitation

BREWSTER – A meeting hosted by American Legion Columbia Post 97 last Wednesday, April 9, to explain the Boys and Girls State opportunity to area junior class students was cancelled when no students or school representatives attended.

Post Commander Greg Wagg contacted eight schools in Okanogan and Douglas counties and invited principals, counselors, advisors, and interested juniors to the meeting. Wagg had scheduled Evergreen Boys State (EBS) Eastern Washington Vice Chairman Mike Montaney from Ephrata to deliver the EBS presentation.

Wagg responds

Following the no-show event, Wagg issued a letter to the schools previously contacted which said in part:

“I am very disappointed in our local schools’ lack of interest, lack of knowledge, and lack of participation in a nationally recognized summer week-long program for junior class boys and girls.”

Wagg stressed that Boys and Girls State is not a civics class.

“It is an in-depth hands-on participation in building and running a government,” wrote Wagg. “The program has been attended by (U.S.) presidents, Supreme Court justices, astronauts, leading news broadcasters, famous musicians, our state’s governors and many important and prominent persons.”

The Washington governors Wagg referred to are Christine Gregoire and Gary Locke.

The American Legion sponsors Boys and the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) sponsors Girls State in the belief that young citizens who are well-versed in the functioning of our government system will be better equipped to uphold its principles and safeguard it for generations to come.

20th Century debuts

The inaugural Boys State took place in Springfield, Illinois, in 1935. Since that time more than one million young men have participated in the program. The state program emulates Washington State government through opportunities to construct local, county, and state governments. Activities include running for office, court proceedings, creating and enforcing laws, public speaking, and more.

The Girls State website, evergreengirlsstate.com said: 

“The American Legion Auxiliary’s (ALA) Girls State program, debuted in 1947, is one of the most respected and coveted experiential learning programs in the nation. 

The program epitomizes the ALA’s mission to honor veterans through our enduring commitment to develop young women as future leaders grounded in patriotism and Americanism. The young women become knowledgeable in the democratic process and how our republic form of government works at the local, state, and national levels.”

Select high school girls who have completed their junior year spend an intensive week of experiential learning working together as self-governing citizens. They learn government and the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of franchised citizens by forming a fictitious state of cities; electing public officials at the local, county, and state levels; and performing the duties of those offices. The week’s activities include simulated legislative sessions and government proceedings, along with presentations, assemblies, and recreational programs.

Selection as a Boys or Girls State candidate includes advantages aside from the week-long experience in principles of governance, said Montaney. 

“It helps on your college application,” said Montaney. “It gives you extra points if you apply to one of the military academies.”

COVID is culprit

Montaney said the recent lapse of interest in Boys and Girls State stems from the COVID-19 shutdown that interrupted the program and its best recruiters.

“Our best recruiters are the juniors who go back to their schools,” said Montaney. “We did not have the program for two years during COVID, so we did not have anybody to send back to schools.”

Brewster resident and Pateros HS graduate Rich Burgett was one of those recruiters after he attended Boys State in 1970. 

“We went to Spokane and stayed at Gonzaga,” said Burgett. “My roommate was Bill Alexander from Leavenworth.”

Alexander, who died in 2022, taught at Bridgeport for a decade before becoming the well-known athletic director and football coach at Quincy.

Burgett said sessions on how government works helped him understand the legislative branches and how bills are drafted, presented, and pass or fail.

“I would highly recommend it for any juniors who get the opportunity,” Burgett said.

Montaney said the program is now building back.

Juniors interested in attending Boys or Girls State can apply online at evergreenboysstate.org (boys) or evergreengirlsstate.com/application (girls).

Evergreen Boys State will be held in Stanwood at the Warm Beach Conference Center from June 15-21, 2025. Evergreen Girls State will be held the following weekend, June 22-27, at Central Washington University in Ellensburg.

 Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media