State’s Top Youth Take Part in Community Service as Part of 2009 Boys State at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama and the West Alabama community will welcome some 600 rising high school senior boys to campus May 31-June 6 for the 72nd annual American Legion Boys State convention that will feature a new community service component this year.

Alabama Boys State is a leadership program designed to help train young men in the ideals and objectives of American government. Participation in Alabama Boys State is one of the highest honors granted to high school seniors. Students from across the state are chosen based on their demonstration of leadership, hard work, strong morals and motivation in school and community activities.

For the first time, Alabama Boys State will incorporate a volunteer service project into the experience to give the young men a chance to learn how to change their communities in a positive way. From June 1-4, Alabama Boys State will partner with the UA Community Service Center, City of Tuscaloosa, and the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority to participate in a community service project.

“This dynamic project demonstrates what is best about Tuscaloosa,” said Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. “By bringing together the City, UA, PARA, United Way and Alabama Boys State we are going to make a difference for the people of Tuscaloosa, especially in areas of our community that have not seen the economic gains of the past decade.  I am confident that this investment of resources and sweat equity will build a stronger quality of life for all,” he added.

On each of the volunteer days from 2:30-4:30 p.m., the young men from Boys State will work in groups on specific projects in Tuscaloosa (assigned by the City of Tuscaloosa Department of Transportation and the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority) at parks within areas of the Hope Initiative zone.

The parks include:  Rosedale Park, 3000 Greensboro Ave.; Harmon Field, 3025 Greensboro Ave.; Kaulton Park, 2929 Pine St.; West End Park, 3230 8th St.; and Jaycee Park, 717 21st Ave. E.

Each group of volunteers will be responsible for repairing, painting, planting, digging, fertilizing and renovating the areas with the goal of seeing how their work and service will yield benefits to the community.

“The new service component will show these students that volunteers can really make big changes in a small amount of time and that we are all responsible for making a community succeed,” says Josh Burford, coordinator in UA’s Community Service Center who is assisting the event.

A program of the American Legion, Boys State emphasizes practical participation in a model state, complete with the governing officials, as a way to educate young people in the ideals and objectives of American government.

Speakers on this year’s program include U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Ron Sparks, State Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, Alabama Reps. Robert Bentley and Chris England, Judge Roy Moore, UA Head Football Coach Nick Saban and UA President Robert Witt. Gov. Bob Riley is also tentatively scheduled to speak.

“These students represent the best and brightest from high schools all over Alabama. Thanks to our many partners involved in the week’s events, it will be a truly worthwhile experience for everyone,” said Dr. Tim Hebson, UA dean of students and one of the organizers of the event, himself a former participant.

To top off the community service component, the Boys State students will join students from Tuscaloosa Central High School’s baseball team to meet, form joint teams, and play a friendly game at Harmon Field on Friday, June 5, at 3 p.m. 

For more information about Alabama Boys State, including a complete schedule of events and photographs from previous years, go online to http://alboysstate.org.