Photo by Heather Bell
Girls State attendee Sophie Graham and Boys State attendee Jacob Porter, along with their Radford High School guidance counselor Pam Chitwood, gather with members of Radford’s American Legion Harvey-Howe-Carper Post 30 at the VFW Post Home recently.
Heather Bell
RADFORD – Six Radford High School students experienced lessons in government, teamwork and more over the summer through the American Legion’s Boys and Girls state programs.
Some of those students recently attended Radford’s American Legion Harvey-Howe-Carper Post 30 meeting at the VFW Post Home to thank the local sponsoring post, and tell members about their experiences.
“I was so thankful for the opportunity to attend Girls State,” said Sophie Graham. “I got to experience how government worked while having fun and meeting new people all at the same time.”
Porter relayed similar accolades for the program.
“Boys State was an amazing experience that I will remember for the rest of my life,” said Porter. “It taught me not only about our government, but life lessons that I would not have learned anywhere else.
“It taught me discipline, teamwork, and the importance of these characteristics,” he continued. “I am very thankful for getting the opportunity to go to Boys State and hope that many others will be able to get the same experience I did in the future.”
Boys State and Girls State are weeklong programs that provides the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in state government. Participants “cultivate leadership skills and develop pride in American citizenship,” according to the American Legion. Boys State 2019 was held at Radford University. Girls State 2019 was held at Longwood University.
