Fuqua attends Boys State

Published 12:50 pm Thursday, August 13, 2015

By Thomas Watson

FARMVILLE — American Legion Boys State is among the most respected educational programs of government instruction for high school students. Each participant becomes a part of the operation of his local, county and state government.  Since 1939 the American Legion has sponsored the Boys State of Virginia, and students are selected from across the Commonwealth to attend this week long seminar. Three students chosen to represent Fuqua School at the 73rd annual Boys State of Virginia were David Hice, Noah Shepherd, and Thomas Watson.   

Upon arrival on Sunday, everyone was divided into “cities”—named after American generals—and each city had about 40 “citizens.” The citizens within a city voted for a mayor, sheriff, town council members, and several other positions of public service. From each city, two senators and four delegates were selected to be in the Boys State General Assembly. David Hice, one of the four delegates from his city, said, “It was really interesting to hear all of the different viewpoints on the bills that were brought up.”

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Throughout the week, many honored guests spoke to the young men about topics ranging from present-day politics to the dangers of drinking and driving. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, and a motivational speaker named Chris Skinner, who is paralyzed from a car accident, were three of the main speakers. Each of the speakers yielded to questions from the audience at the conclusion of their lectures.

Listening to politicians and lectures on bad behavior were only a few of the many activities at Boys State. Every attendee was a member of either the Federalist or Nationalist political party (fictitious political parties created to mimic real life politics). The two parties met separately to have political caucuses where they nominated people for four elected positions: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Party Chairman. A final election was held to vote for the nominees of both parties.

While the political parties were busy with their caucuses, the Boys State General Assembly appointed seven Supreme Court Justices, including Thomas Watson. The seven justices were chosen from a group of 16 candidates, one from each city. The Supreme Court presided over a mock court case that had made its way through the judicial branch, starting in the Circuit Court. “Judicial procedure is much more complicated than I imagined,” said Watson.

Boys State was not entirely politically based; there was something for everyone: football, basketball, soccer, tennis, band, choir, etc. Shepherd and Watson both participated in the Boys State Band. The band provided the backdrop for the many assemblies by performing patriotic songs such as the national anthem, armed forces march, and “Taps” as well as fun popular songs. “It was an honor to perform for so many renowned political figures,” said Shepherd. Shepherd also received an award for parliamentary procedures class.

The Virginia Boys State program has endured a powerful, long-standing legacy that has touched many lives. The counselors, many of whom served in the armed forces, feel it is their duty to educate America’s youth on the workings of government and politics. Over the decades, many famous men have attended Boys State, including Bill Clinton, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Jordan. It will be interesting to see the great aspirations that the class of 2015 will have.