Future Leaders Take Part in Community Service as Part of Boys State at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama and the West Alabama community will welcome some 550 rising high school senior boys to campus May 30-June 5 for the 73rd annual American Legion Boys State convention that will include a community service component for the second 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.

Judge Pete Johnson, director of Alabama Boys State, said that the goal of the program is to educate the young men about how the government is run at local and state levels, instill a desire to serve through community service and shape the young men into better citizens.

“The mission of Boys State is to develop citizenship,” said Johnson. “We select good students, but we want them to develop a heightened sense of citizenship for their community, state and country. I am convinced that all of the young men will leave as better citizens.”

For the second year, Alabama Boys State will incorporate a volunteer service project into the experience to give the students 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, Tuscaloosa City Schools and Tuscaloosa Park and Recreation Authority to participate in a community service project.

The students from Boys State will participate in a beautification project at four local elementary schools. The participants will be volunteering at each school each day from approximately 2:45-4:30 p.m. The elementary schools involved in this project include Alberta, Martin Luther King Jr., Northington and Skyland.

“We will have anywhere from 100-150 volunteers at each school every day,” says Wahnee Sherman, director of UA’s Community Service Center.

The students will be painting, landscaping, and assisting with the installation of swing sets at each site, while also renovating a basketball court at Northington Elementary School.

In addition to the community service component, the Boys State athletic track participants will play a basketball game with the Bryant High School basketball team Friday at 3 p.m. at Northington Elementary.

Prior to the basketball game, the students will hear from several speakers, including Walt Maddox, Tuscaloosa mayor, Joyce Levey, Tuscaloosa City Schools superintendent, and Mark Nelson, UA vice provost and vice president for student affairs.

“This dynamic project demonstrates what is best about Tuscaloosa,” Maddox said. “By bringing together the City of Tuscaloosa, UA, PARA, Tuscaloosa City Schools 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.

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:

-Birmingham Mayor William Bell, Sunday, May 30

-Mayor Maddox, Monday, May 31

– UA President Robert E. Witt, Tuesday, June 1

-Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, State Rep. Jeff McLaughlin and Judge Mac Parsons, Wednesday, June 2

For more information about Alabama Boys State, including a complete schedule of events, go to http://alboysstate.org.