Running campaigns, writing laws and representing clients in court is not the first thing that comes to mind when picturing a typical teenager’s summer. However, it was a reality for six seniors who participated in the Missouri mock government program this summer.
Missouri Boys State (MBS) and Missouri Girls State (MGS) are two camps sponsored by the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary, respectively. Both of these camps are eight-day programs held during the summer that provide high schoolers across Missouri a chance to deepen their understanding of the U.S. government. This summer’s MO State was held at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, and it was the 85th year for MGS and the 87th for MBS. Addie Kuhn, senior, was one of the KHS students who participated in the program.
“[At camp] you’re learning how to build a government from the ground up. It taught me a lot of new things, and I met so many people,” Kuhn said. “It was awesome to meet a bunch of these girls and get to experience the week with them.”
When the students, referred to as citizens, arrive at Lindenwood, they are split up into mock cities and counties and then voted into roles. These assignments are determined by the location of the dorms, as they outline regions of the mock cities, and provide an outline of their role for the next week. Kuhn said this promotes a sense of community, as peers on the same floor and dorms spend most of their time collaborating on their assignments. Christian Ermilio, senior, was one of the KHS students who was elected into a high leadership position, which allowed him the chance to represent his district as a whole.
“I ran for [mayor], and I got elected. They took you up on stage to be sworn in, which was super neat.” Ermilio said. “I really enjoyed being mayor [and] making everybody more of a family.”
In addition to fulfilling their obligations in their mock positions, the citizens attended lectures from prominent speakers and politicians. Ermilio said he learned the importance of the democratic process and gained skills in public relations and leadership.
“They really emphasized that all of us have the skills to lead, and [how] it’s about having the confidence to step up and speak your mind,” Kuhn said. “[MGS] taught me that I need to be [comfortable] being bold.”
Despite the stress and hard work that came with the program, Ermilio said there was still time to build connections with others across the state. One example was closing night, where everyone sat together and shared how the camp has an impact on them.
“We didn’t know each other a week before, and now we have kids talking about the deepest parts of their lives a week later,” Ermilio said. “I think it’s amazing what being in the program for a week can do for a guy; to give him somewhere to be open and honest with people.”
Despite the camps often being overlooked, Anna Ullery, senior, said MBS and MGS are camps that provide valuable tools to MO youth. Uluru said the lessons learned in this camp can be beneficial to teens across MO, regardless of what they choose to pursue later in life. She said the skills gained here in leadership, communication and analytical thinking can be applied to any number of future jobs and life situations.
“[I learned there] how complicated our government is and how much work actually goes into it,” Ullery said. “And that you can actually make a difference, even if you don’t feel like you can, like you always have a voice.”
