Caledonia American Legion Host Boys State Dinner

   The Caledonia American Legion, Matthew Cleary Post 255, hosted the 2008 Livingston County American Legion Boys State Dinner Sunday afternoon 15 May.

   The annual dinner serves a dual purpose. First, as an opportunity to recognize the thirty-one Boys State representatives from all the Livingston County American Legion posts, for their selection. Secondly, to give direction as to the protocol, expectations and the purpose of the week long Boys State conference.

   The 2008 American Legion Boys State will convene at SUNY Morrisville College starting on Saturday, June 28th and ending on Thursday, July 3rd. The annual Boys State conference brings together over 1,000 other Boys State representatives from across New York State. The Boys State representatives will face a week that is challenging both physically and intellectually.

   Boys State is a microcosm of government and the two party system, in action. The conference is divided up into many groups and these groups are given intensive instruction on the workings of specific governmental agencies at all levels, be it at the local level or state level. The lessons learned at these educational sessions will give each representative the necessary tools to perform correlating jobs, as the 2008 Boys State governmental community takes shape.

   Congratulations to all the Livingston County Boys State representatives. The experiences that they will have at Boys State should give these young men an opportunity to make a difference in their communities, in the years to come.

Livingston County American Legion
Boys' State 2008 Representatives

Delegates:

• Ethan Deragon - Avon Post 294
• Anthony Cappello - Avon Post 294
• Timothy Beavers - Caledonia Post 255
• James Kemnitz - Caledonia Post 255
• Russell Schneider - Caledonia Post 255
• Wilmont Thompson - Caledonia Post 255
• Ryan Monroe - Conesus Post 1779
• Justin Becker - Conesus Post 1779
• Kyle Schuster - Dansville Post 87
• Matthias Schuster - Dansville Post 87
• Tyler Eldred - Dansville Post 87
• Cory Helfrich - Dansville Post 87
• Justin Lathrop - Dansville Post 87
• Joseph Smith - Lima Post 282
• Andrew Lanphere - Lima Post 282
• Andrew Fahy - Lima Post 282
• Nathan Dubois - Lima Post 282
• Thomas Colosky - Lima Post 282
• Alexander Knop - Lima Post 282
• Matthew Leader - Livonia Post 283
• Patrick Miskell - Livonia Post 283
• David Zimmer - Livonia Post 283
• Matthew Girolmo - Livonia Post 283
• Chris Hooker - Livonia Post 283
• Dalton Smith - Mt. Morris Post 354
• Kevin Mancini - Mt. Morris Post 354
• Manuel Saturria - Mt. Morris Post 354
• William Brundege Mt. Morris Post 354
• Michael Grover - Sonyea Post
• Matthew McDowell - Springwater Post 905
• Brent Parsons - Springwater Post 905

Alternates:

• Joshua Timmerman - Avon Post 294
• Brian Ohle - Dansville Post 87
• Joseph Finazzo - Livonia Post 283
• Michael Terry - Livonia Post 283

Livingston County American Legion Girls State

   Thirteen girls representing nine American Legion auxiliary posts in Livingston County are attending the Empire Girls State Program from June 29 to July 5 on the SUNY Brockport College campus. They will join hundreds of young girls from throughout New York State for the weeklong citizenship training program.

   The themes for this year’s program are patriotism and participation. The emphasis will for the Girls State citizens to gain a better understanding of our American traditions and a greater appreciation of our country and our flag as well as learn our government processes through simulated real life involvement in all levels of government. They’ll also focus on participation in the citizen's home communities when they return and begin a life-long commitment to be active in all levels of our government.

   Livingston County Girls State chairperson Virginia Robbins says the girls will be busy every day of the week establishing a mock government, holding elections and passing important legislation on the local, county and state level. A formal banquet will be held for the girls on Friday night where the elected governor will be announced. Parents are invited to attend this event.

Livingston County Girls State delegates

• Ashley Amidon – Dansville
• Bailey McCombs – Caledonia (Mumford)
• Jyothi Purushotham –Lima (HFL)
• Elizabeth Sweitzer – Lima (HFL)
• Shelby Seeley – Livonia
• Marissa Sanderson – Geneseo
• Diana Pratt – Avon
• Erica Sutton – Mt. Morris
• Courtney Wolcik – Mt. Morris
• Kirstin Mulvaney – Conesus
• Rachel Fields – Dansville (Way-Coh)
• Julia Dzikowski – Dansville
• Darian Edlen – Mt. Morris

Boys' State

   Boys' State is a program of The American Legion developed from the concept that youth should be offered a better perspective of the practical operation of government; that the individual is an integral part and commensurately responsible for the character and success of his government. As such, it is an activity of high educational value, born of a need for youth training in practical citizenship. This year, The American Legion Department of New York will send over 1,000 boys to SUNY Morrisville, New York.

   Candidates for New York Boys' State must be at least 15 years of age at the time of application, must have completed their junior year in the upper 50% of their class and intend to return to school in the fall as seniors to complete their high school education; and residents of the State of New York or who are residents of an adjoining state and who attend school in New York State and have the following qualifications: Potential leadership; ability to get along with others; mentally alert and physically clean and neat; honest; good personality; vigorous; cooperative and enthusiastic and above all a good American citizen.

   Each year, a Boys' State participant is elected Governor and thereafter is invited to attend the Department of New York's State Convention.  Also each year, two Boys' State participants will be selected to attend the National program called Boys' Nation in Washington, D.C. 

Empire Girls' State

   From American Legion Auxiliary members' hearts - to their hands - to their service for America's youth, Empire Girls' State represents the goals and ideals for the future of our great country. It is a non-partisan Americanism program, emphasizing citizens’ duties, rights, and responsibilities in the political and governmental processes of a democratic society.

   During this very busy week, Girls' State citizens, representing their two political parties, will formulate and run political campaigns, participate in debates, write legislation about the issues of government that are important to their respective Girls’ State county constituents and their peers, and participate in mock legislative sessions of county and state levels of government. Through the guidance of the Department Americanism Chairman, the citizens will be educated in appropriate etiquette for the display, handling, and disposal of the American Flag, as they gain a new respect for this symbol of America’s greatness as a free and democratic nation.

   Girls' State citizens gain knowledge about the operations of a democracy, and they will have the opportunity to meet some of their peers from all corners of this great state of New York. Friendships formed during this one-week experience often last a lifetime and develop into a network of intelligent, professional women.

   Empire Girls' State prepares today's young women to be knowledgeable, active participants and leaders in tomorrow’s American democracy and the world. The three hundred sixty (360) High School Junior students who attend the program gain a unique knowledge of the political process and the duties of responsible citizenship. They also provide the American Legion Auxiliary with a potential source for recruitment of new members.

   The 2007 session of Empire Girls' State will be held on the campus of SUNY Brockport College.