Boys State and Girls State

We've got five teams that we sponsor for that.

We sponsor Boys State, which actually was created by the American Legion.

The Legion Auxiliary sponsors Girls State.

We sponsor shooting sports.

Well, I want to learn a little bit more about Scott Walker.

My understanding is when you were growing up, you attended Boys State.

It's called Badger Boys State, Boys Nation.

You had a little bit of taste of what it would be like in public service, perhaps.

But what kind of caught your attention? Were there particular influences, mentors? I know you ultimately became effectively the elected county executive of Milwaukee County, which led ultimately to your running for governor.

I loved history, ate it up, but always thought when I was younger, I'd go into business.

This was just something I was interested in, but I didn't see that as a profession.

And it really wasn't until, as you mentioned, I went to the American Legion program, Boys State, had the honor of being one of the two young men that went to Boys Nation.

So back in the day, I drafted a bill, you know, that I encouraged.

I was a part of Girl State, which is like you can present bills.

And then if they go through the whole process with you, this kind of like mock legislature, then it can actually go to your own legislator.

So what I had presented back in the day was this concept of putting putting Johns who are caught on the sex offender registry.

But along the way, as I grew, I thought I'd probably go into business.

But as you mentioned, I had the opportunity in high school to You go to a program the American Legion puts on called Boys State.

I was one of the two picked to go to Boys Nation.

It was really transformational for me.

Yeah.

That is a clip of an Apple Original titled Boys State.

And Boys State was actually created for the first time in June 1935 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.

Going from that dated history to the time that brings us to the story behind the story today, when I was in the running to be lieutenant governor of Texas.

That's right, it was not an official campaign.

It was part of the Boys State mock-up.

The Boys State is a week-long leadership and government program for high school juniors sponsored by the American Legion across all of our states.

Students build and run a mock government modeled after state, county, and local systems, legislative sessions, even court trials sometimes.

The eighty-two-year-old nonpartisan summer camp, sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and hosted by Texas Lutheran University, is part of a highly competitive national program.

Texas Girls State sends delegates to Girls Nation in Washington, D.C. Former Governor Ann Richards was a Girls State graduate.

So are State Senator Lois Kolkhorst and Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick.

The keynote speaker this year was San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, who attended in nineteen ninety-eight.

Black people make up twelve percent, while Asians are two point six percent.

More than seventy percent of Texans will live in urban areas by twenty forty, mostly in the triangle between Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, the Texas Demographic Center expects.

While firm numbers are unavailable, the campers at Texas Girls State appeared to reflect the state's growing diversity, not only in ethnicity, but also in religion, philosophy, gender identity, and wealth.

As today's politicians use each of these topics to divide and conquer, the young people I met follow the one universal commandment, to love thy neighbor as thyself.

So we just took one thing and turned it into two that are both related to the intersection.

Number four, Boys State, that's through American Legion, so that's a state level honor recognition.

The student was elected, uh, chairman or some...

Yeah.

It is related there as well, but that one I would not say is worth breaking out.

We obviously also only have so much space when we have five honors to list here.

So I would put that at number four, the Boys State American Legion, the chairman.

You could put it 'cause it sounds very government-y and political.

Shame on you.

But you missed me telling the story of when I ran to be the lieutenant governor of Texas- The story behind the story is that I was part of the Boys State program that is something carried out by the American Legion, has been since the 1930s.

It all started in Illinois, as a matter of fact.

What I failed to mention in the preceding story behind the story, and I'm sorry I dropped it, if you have an interest in learning about it for your kids, or kids listening, you want to learn about it, go to the American Legion, search Boys State or Girls State, there is a Girls State as well, and find out information.

See what you can do to be part of it.

They already have the 87th session of the American Legion Boys State of M- of Missouri scheduled for June 19 through 26 for next year.

June 19 through the 26th, and it will be held on the campus of Lindenwood University.

Now, when I did it in Texas, it was all held at the University of Texas.

I Dare You Award, I won that.

Like Palmetto Girl State, I went to Girl State.

I mean, you were everywhere.

[laughs]