Badger Boys State

Badger Boys State

Badger Boys State Full State Picture
Abbreviation BBS
Motto "Investing In Our Youth For a Stronger Wisconsin"
Formation April 8, 1939
Type Not-For-Profit Corporation
Legal status Active
Purpose "To educate our youth in the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of American citizenship."
Headquarters Portage, WI
Location
Region served
 Wisconsin
Membership
 68,000
Official language
 English
Chairman of the Board
 Russell Hanseter
Parent organization
 American Legion
Affiliations American Legion Department of Wisconsin
Staff
 1
Volunteers
 120
Website http://www.badgerboysstate.com

Badger Boys State is a week-long youth program held each June to teach Wisconsin high-school students leadership and the workings of government. Forty-nine states[1] (all except for Hawai'i) have a similar yet distinctive program for boys[2] and a separate program for girls.[3] The program hosts approximately 850 students (called citizens while attending the program) and over 100 volunteer staff members for 8 days on the Ripon College campus. During the week, a mock government is created as citizens elect leaders in 27 cities, 8 counties, and a "51st" state that encompasses the entire program.

Badger Boys State has helped in the growth and training of a number of notable members of society, including Wisconsin governors Scott Walker, Scott McCallum and Martin Schreiber.[4] The staff and the American Legion seek to provide an educational experience to those who attend the program. Many citizens find the experience memorable and impactful[5]

History

During the mid-1930s, an American Legion program known as Boys State was originated in Illinois. In October 1938, the State Executive Committee of the Wisconsin American Legion authorized Alonzo Cudworth Post No. 23, Milwaukee, to proceed with its plans for the organization of Badger Boys State.

Badger Boys State adopted a program based upon the experience of the Illinois Boys State which was sponsored by the Illinois American Legion and had been in operation since 1935. Four hundred eighty-four high school juniors attended the first session of Badger Boys State at St. John's Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin, June 16–23, 1939. The project proved very successful and was unanimously authorized to proceed as a state program by the Wisconsin American Legion Convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The individuals responsible for founding the Badger Boys State program officially on April 8, 1939 were:

Due to the limited capacity of St. John's Military Academy, a survey of the various college facilities throughout the state was made in 1941 which resulted in moving Badger Boys State to its present location at Ripon College (Wisconsin). Ripon College's entire facilities are made available for the purpose of accommodating Badger Boys State.

Wartime restrictions forced the suspension of operations in 1943, 1944 and 1945. Badger Boys State resumed its sessions in 1946 with a memorial service for 35 former Badger Boys Staters who gave their lives in the service of their country.

The operation of an actual session of Badger Boys State and the execution of its program now requires a full-time volunteer staff of over one hundred people, plus a part-time special lecture staff of 45. Attendance has grown from 484 in 1939 to an all-time high of 1,066 in 1982. Ripon College was forced to place some restrictions on space in the late 1980s whereby total citizen attendance is restricted to 973 per session.

Many Badger Boys State graduates serve public office or work in business, the professions, industry, and the armed forces.[6]

Elected Positions

City Level

County Level

State Level

Weekly Program Schedule

1941 Schedule

First Day - SATURDAY, June 21 - Registration • Election of Ward/City, and County Committeeman • Party Caucuses, city and county.

Second Day - SUNDAY, June 22 - Church Services by Protestant and Catholic Chaplains • Low, Civil Service, Peace Officers and other schools in session • Nomination of Candidates for City Offices • Campaigning.

Third Day - MONDAY, June 23 - All schools in session " Election of City Officials • City government commences to function • Municipal Court starts sessions • Nomination of Candidates for County Officest State Assemblymen and Senators • Campaigning.

Fourth Day - TUESDAY, June 24 - All schools in session • Election of all County Officials, and State Legislators • County government functions • Senate and Assembly organize • Nominations for state offices in the Primary Election • Plenty of campaigning!

Fifth Day - WEDNESDAY, June 25 - Schools in session, with Final Examinations for law, Civil Service, and Peace Officers, and awarding of certificates • Primary Election for State Offices • City and County governments function • Municipal and County Courts in session • Final Campaigning for State Offices.

Sixth Day - THURSDAY June 26 - Election of State Officials • City and County governments functioning • State Legislature in session • Municipal and County Courts continue sessions • (Evening) Formal Inauguration of the Governor and other Boys State Officials. The oath of office will be administered by Chief Justice Marvin B. Rosenberry of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Seventh Day - FRIDAY June 27 - All units of Boys State government functioning • All courts, including State Supreme Court, in session • Athletic Contests • (Evening) Governor's Ball.

Eighth Day - SATURDAY June 28 - All governmental units in final sessions • Final General Assembly • Presentation of Diplomas, class pins and other awards • Farewell Dinner. 12 o'clock (noon) followed by adjournment.

Governors

2011 Governor Matt Walker is the son of current Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker, a BBS alumni himself.

Boys Nation Senators

Board of directors

Member[8] Position Held Home Town
Russell H. Hanseter Chairman of the Board/Director Emeritus Seymour
Wayne Jensen Department Commander & President Milwaukee
David Schuler Vice President Chicago, IL
Fred Berns Director Whitehall
Lloyd Wagener Treasurer Horicon
Al Richards Assistant Treasurer / Assistant Director Grafton
David A. Kurtz Executive Secretary Portage
Nathan Grunewald Assistant Executive Secretary Brookfield
Erik Brown Member Waunakee
Mike Feirer Member Marshfield
George Fix Member Pewaukee
John Cumicek Member Seymour
Ted Duckworth Member New Lisbon
Bud Mautz Member Madison
Bill Cosh Member Lodi
Don Lechner Americanism Chairman Mayville
Denise Rohan Past Department Commander Verona
Robert Batty Member Cedarburg

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://legion.org/boysnation
  2. ↑ http://www.boysandgirlsstate.org/boys.html
  3. ↑ http://www.boysandgirlsstate.org/girls.html
  4. ↑ http://www.badgerboysstate.com/past_graduates.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsAGZerlKZ0
  6. ↑ http://www.badgerboysstate.com/past_graduates.htm
  7. ↑ http://republican.gnom.es/national-news/walker-preachers-son-finds-politics-calling-milwaukee-journal-sentinel
  8. ↑ http://www.badgerboysstate.com/program_leadership.htm

External links

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