2012 BOYS STATE
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Eligibility Qualifications
Only young men, who will complete their junior year of high school prior to attending Boys State and have at least one semester of high school remaining, are eligible.
Home schooled boys are eligible provided they meet specific qualifications and guidelines specified later in this application.
Any boy who has previously attended a Boys State is not eligible to attend a second session.
Outstanding qualities of leadership, character, scholarship, loyalty and service to their schools and community are considered.
The applicants should exhibit an interest in the governmental process and have above average scholastic standing.
Selection Process
Interested students will complete an application with essay and resume which must be turned into the high school counselor by March 21st, 2012. The high school counselor will provide the Post Commander with a recommended list to include the application, essay, resume, and school transcript by March 23rd, 2012. The post will then interview each applicant during the week of 26-30 March at the High Schools or another location to be determined.
Those applicants not selected as primary delegates may become alternates. In 2011 two alternates were able to attend Boy State, so it is important that those delegates designated as alternates meet all requirements to attend the program.
Funding
Tuition for Boys State is $275 which does NOT include transportation. Past sponsors have included Post 273, public and private schools, fraternal, business, other civic groups, individuals, parents, and others. The Post will do everything in its power to secure sponsors for all Primary Delegates. Home schooled students will compete for funding with the students from the High School of their district.
Transportation is the responsibility of the selected delegate. Car pooling is encouraged, but a chartered bus is available. The chartered bus cost is $55 per delegate on a first-come, first-served basis. The bus fills up early, so reservations must be made early to secure a seat.
There are no refunds for tuition or bus transportation and any delegate unable to attend will be replaced by an alternate delegate previously selected by the Post.
2012 BOYS STATE
HOME SCHOOL ADDENDUM
Home School Qualifications
Home schooling has positively impacted various youth organizations including the Virginia Boys State program. Potential home school candidates must have completed the 11th grade successfully in prescribed credit hour courses as mandated by the Virginia Department of Education. Students chosen must have at least one more semester of high school remaining, in which to serve as leaders in their communities.
The American Legion’s National Americanism Commission as well as the American Legion Department of Virginia has established certain qualifications for prospective Boys State citizens. These two organizations work within the respective program guidelines to insure compliance.
Only home schooled students that reside in the school districts of Tabb High School or Poquoson High School will be considered by Post 273. Applicants will be notified by the Post about interview Location, dates & time. Alternative interview dates can be made, provided the Post is notified in sufficient time to meet Boys State Deadlines.
Under no circumstances will a home schooler be accepted at Virginia Boys State without first having his eleventh grade courses and unity completed and approved by the division superintendent, the division superintendent's assistant, or such designated person.
Defining public school and private school students needs no further comment; however, defining home schooling is a bit more complicated. A home schooler is a student who is taught away from the public or private school, usually at home by a parent or by groups of parents. Some of these parents may be qualified to teach, while others may not: teaching in either an academic-oriented curriculum or a religious-based curriculum.
Students may be taught in non-accredited situations for 180 plus days, ranging from (1) no specific days or hours, (2) to that of free subject choice, or (3) to one of a strict battery of specific classes taught by degree holding family members or neighbors.
Admittance Procedures for Home Schoolers to Attend Boys State,
Working Through and in Cooperation with Public School Personnel
The division superintendent, division superintendent's assistant or designated person in the public school system, in a written statement, must indicate to the American Legion local Post’s Adjutant or Boys State Chairman that the home schooler has successfully completed (or will have successfully completed by June 1 at the latest) the same curriculum courses of a public school eleventh grader consisting of the following course units as required and stated in the Virginia Code, 221.1-245-1:
· 3 Units of English
· 2 math courses
· 2 units of science
· 2 units of social sciences
o Virginia and U.S. history
o Virginia and U.S. government
· 2 units of health and physical education
· 1 unit of fine art or 1 unit of vocational training or 2 electives
· 5 other electives
The above document of courses taken and units completed, containing the verification of same, should be sent by the parents of the home schooled applicant to the Post 273 Commander, PO Box 2115, Poquoson, VA 23662.
American Legion Interviews of Home School Applicants
It is the responsibility of home school parents to find out when the American Legion Post will be interviewing Boys State nominees from the local high schools. All Boys State nominees are interviewed and home schoolers must compete in this process at the specified time. The final selection of all Boys State delegates is determined by American Legion Post 273, judging the merits of every invited candidate.
Holloway-Moore American Legion Post 273
Boys State Application
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Student Name (Last, First, MI) Email Address
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Street Address City, State, Zip
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Phone number (indicate home, cell, or work)
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Parent/Guardian Name (Last, First, MI) Email Address
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Phone number (indicate home, cell, or work)
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High School Attending (Tabb, Poquoson, SCA) School District
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High School POC Name Email Address
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ATTACHMENTS:
Resume
Essay: Why I’d like to attend Boys State. (50-200 words typed)
Transcript
Certification from School District (Home schooled applicants only)
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DEADLINES:
21 March 2012, Application & attachments turned into guidance (High School Candidates only).
23 March 2012, Applications & Guidance/School Superintendent’s recommendations returned to Post 273.
6 April 2012, Interviews and selections completed.
10 April 2012, Delegates and Alternates notified.
30 April 2012, Registration with Boys State completed.
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FUNDING: (To be completed by Post 273)
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Sponsor Name Phone number (indicate home, cell, or work)
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Street Address City, State, Zip