Boys State delegates picked

American Legion Boys State continues to be a leading training ground for tomorrow?s leaders from the local to the national level.

Boys State is not a classroom activity, but practical experience for young men in dealing with the challenges of government as it operates in Tennessee.

Boys State is not meant to take the place of civics or government classes as they are taught in high school. Rather it is planned so young men may put into actual practice the theories of government through participation in city and state government as organized as a mythical 51st state.

This year?s delegates from Warren County High School are Jacob Basham, Morgan Gonder, Steven Hamby, Russell Hitchcock, Jonathan Paz, Robert Rampp and Aaron Thomas. The alternates are Rory Miller, Saul Simpson and Herman Taylor.

For Boyd, the delegate is Jonathan Hagar and the alternate is Benjamin Biles.

These young men are all sponsored by American Legion Post 173 in McMinnville.

?It?s a hands-on type learning environment,? said American Legion representative Charles Norton. ?It?s not strictly book work. The first thing they start doing is electing city council members and a mayor, and the kids get a chance to run for office. It gives them an opportunity to learn a little more about politics.?

About 700 boys from across the state participate and American Legion tries to get a representative from each school. Boys State is May 28 to June 3 at Tennessee Tech.