The time of the year has come for applying for Boys State. The week-long program, sponsored by the American Legion, runs from June 5 to June 10 at Kansas State University and applications have already been sent out to those in the top half of their class.

Boys State is a program, both non-political and non-partisan, that teaches young individuals how the government works through various activities including a mock-government activity.

“This is a hands-on opportunity to learn and participate in activities of local and state government,” Boys State coordinator for the local American Legion post Don Thomson said. “Through this experience, they’ll have a greater understanding and greater appreciation for what [their] government can and should do in the community and the state in which I live.”

Parents and students should have received a letter and an application, due April 1.

“If we could get everyone of them [to go], everyone of them would benefit,” Thomson said. “We had 15 or 18 last year and you know, it would be nice to have that many or more next year or this year too. It’s just a wonderful opportunity and this program is one of the top two in the nation.”

As one of the top two programs in the nation, Boys State has many benefits and the bragging rights on a college résumé is just a bonus.

“It’s a … leadership conference that actually illustrates how a government is run so you know, that’s one aspect of it,” counselor Tony Wichmann said. “Second aspect, you know, it’s just a fun time. You get to know and live with and work with students across the state. It’s very unique in the sense that you have someone else that [has a] similar type of interest and direction as you but they’re from a small town in Kansas… And you all come together and really try to create this entity of a government in one week … There’s a lot of fun activities. They have an opportunity to be able to do a talent show. They have an opportunity to listen to some very good speakers too so they bring in speakers for them to listen to so the knowledge base is a good aspect of it.”

“Colleges and universities recognize Boys State graduates as advanced and dedicated young men,” Thomson said. “We have a college fair that we bring to Boys State too and only the better colleges come to that and recruit. It’s a good résumé builder too. On your résumé, it makes a difference when you apply to jobs, it makes a difference when you apply for universities [and] colleges. It’s a big thing.”

With an opportunity like this comes a fee of $325. While that may seem like a hefty cost, Boys State makes sure it’s extremely affordable for everyone.

“The boys are asked to pay $50 themselves and a sponsor or sponsoring business will pay the additional $275,” Thomson said. “We don’t want anybody to go without because they can’t afford it. We find sponsors for them if we need to.”

Senior Nicholas Higgs attended Boys State last summer and enjoyed the educational experience.

“It was kind of fun,” Higgs said. “You get to learn about how state governments function and how you have to cooperate between different levels of government and it’s an interesting view of the bureaucratic process.”

In addition, Higgs loved getting to meet and talk with others from surrounding areas in Kansas.

“Just the people you meet is interesting because they try to split you up so you’re not in a county,” Higgs said. “So, a county is like a floor of a building and there is like thirty people in your county and you room with them and they make sure you’re not in the same county as someone else from your school so you have to meet people from all around the state.”