Representatives of Elgin High and Pope John Central Catholic will join nearly 400 other high school juniors from across Nebraska participating in the American Legion Cornhusker Boys State, June 1-7.
American Legion Post #229 Commander Gary Hoefer announced that Jon Meis and Kyle Heithoff have been chosen to attend Boys State. Meis, the son of Jim and Anne Meis, is a junior at Pope John Central Catholic High School. He is being sponsored by the Elgin Community Club.
Heithoff, the son of Dorothy and Stan Heithoff, is a junior at Elgin High School. He is being sponsored by Legion Post #229.
To be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln downtown campus, the annual citizenship program is sponsored by the Nebraska American Legion. It is designed to provide youths with a better understanding of how city, county and state governments operate. Each boy is sponsored locally in cooperation with the local American Legion Post.
American Legion Cornhusker Boys’ State is set up as a functional “51st” state and each boy learns how government subdivisions operate by actually doing the job.
Participants will campaign for offices, hold elections, take part in band and chorus, compete in athletics, and be involved in other varied activities as part of the citizenship training program.
Each attendee will set up their own state government and draft bills.Special lectures and addresses will be delivered by experienced public officials and professional leaders including Gov. Dave Heineman and Supreme Court Chief Justice John M. Gerrard. National acclaimed motivational speaker JoAnne Owens-Nauslar is also scheduled to address the group.
