The Ohio American Legion's first "Boys State" program was held in 1936 in the cattle barns of the Ohio State Fairgrounds with over 440 delegates in attendance. Since 1936, Buckeye Boys State has been conducted annually, with the exception of 1945, when World War II restrictions forced a suspension of activities, and 1952, when a flood prohibited the use of the site at the time. Buckeye Boys State has had many "homes" since 1936: 1936 - 1941 Ohio State Fairgrounds; 1942 - 1943 Ohio Wesleyan University; 1944 Otterbein College; 1946 Miami University; 1947 - 1949 Ohio Wesleyan University; 1950 - 1958 Camp Perry; 1959 - 1970 Ohio University; 1971 - 1974 Ashland College; 1975 - 1977 Ohio University; 1978 - 2016 Bowling Green State University; 2017 - Present Miami University... Each year nearly 1,200 of the finest young men in the State of Ohio attend Buckeye Boys State. Since its inception in 1936, over 90,000 individuals have experienced the Buckeye Boys State program. *********** BGS HISTORY The American Legion Auxiliary is working to keep patriotism a part of the education of every child, a patriotism that teaches love of America through knowledge of how our state governments operate. Girls State is a showcase program of the organization. The Girls State program was organized as a national Americanism activity by the 1937 National Convention. The first Girls State was held in Washington D.C. in 1947. The program is a practical application of Americanism and good citizenship. The entire program is a non-partisan, non-political attempt to teach and inculcate in the youth of America a love of God and country. The Girls State purpose is to: provide citizenship training for girls of high school age in every Department of the American Legion Auxiliary; afford them an opportunity to live together as self-governing citizens; and inform them about the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of American citizenship, in order that they may understand and participate in the functioning of their government. Mrs. Robert Gray selected the first Buckeye Girls State Council (later changed to Board of Directors) and named Mrs. Carl Zeller (Leta), Director. In 1946, the Ohio American Legion Auxiliary chartered the Buckeye Girls State program. The first session of Buckeye Girls State was started in June, 1947 on the campus of Capital University, Bexley, with 304 delegates with a staff of approximately 30 Auxiliary members. The purpose of BGS, as written in 1946 was…"to educate young girls of high school age in the duties, privileges and responsibilities of American citizenship; to provide an opportunity for them to live together as self governing citizens and to participate in the actual functioning of their government…" it is no different today. BGS has been held at Bowling

 

 

Shelby Class of 2025 (From left to right) John B. Terry Boys State Chairman,; Nathan Oberdier, Blake West, Avery Mongold, Linda Close, Girls State Chairman; Alissa Niese, Dawson Gove, Rees Lewis, Kaiden Parsons, Evan McQuillen and Briar Wallace.

 

Shelb Class of 2024

 

Shelby Class of 2023. (From left to right) Linda Close, Girls State Chairman; John B. Terry, Boys State Chairman; Brody Miller, Blake Muntis, Mary Wilkins, Case Mongold, Brooklyn Gwirtz, Jacob Oberdier, Elizabeth Mayer, Kaden Cirata, Philip Snipes, Salathiel Baker, Boys State Co-Chair; and Trustee Robert Payne

 

Shelby Class of 2022, Buckeye Boys and Buckeye Girls State

 

Shelby's Class of 2019 Buckeye Boys and Girls State

 

Shelby class of 2018 Boys and Girls State

 

1942. First Shelby Boys from Post 326

 

Class of 2016, SHS Buckeye Boys and Girls State

 

1948. Featuring the first young woman sent by Post 326 Auxiliary. Julie Anderson

 

Class of 1950. Buckeye Boys and Girls State

 

Shelby Class of 2020, Buckeye Boys and Girls State

 

1952; Former Buckeye Boys Staters Wayne "Bud" Milliron and John DeVito, officers of Post 326! Bud became the Post Boys State Chairman for nearly 30 years. John worked with Boys State for several years.

 

1954

 

Class of 1957 Buckeye Boys and Buckeye Girls State

 

1959 Girls Staters

 

1959 Boys Staters

 

Boys Stater and Boys State Chairman Bud Milliron in Shelby High School with two groups of Buckeye Boys and Girls Staters. August 2014

 

Shelby Class of 2017 Boys and Girls State

 

Class of 1956. Buckeye Boys and Girls State. Please note Operation Youth, also a American Legion Program. --- Major Donald L Thurman, Class of 1960, United States Air Force Academy, was an instructor in a two seat B-57 tactical bomber which crashed 15 miles north of Edwards AFB, California in the Mojave Desert on 23 June 1971. Major Thurman died on 26 June as a result of injuries received in the crash. Funeral services for Major Thurman were held at the USAF Academy on 30 June 1971. Don was a Vietnam Veteran. A F-4 Phantom pilot, flying over 200 missions in Vietnam. Each year at Buckeye Boys State, a service is held by the delegates and Legionnaires honoring former Boys State delegates that have gone on to serve and sacrificed their lives in the Armed Forces of the United States of America.

 

Class of 1969. Buckeye Boys and Girls State

 

Class of 1970 Boys State

 

Class of 1970 Buckeye Girls State

 

Class of 1978 Buckeye Boys and Girls State

 

Class of 1963 Boys and Girls State

 

Class of 1964 Boys and Girls State

 

Class of 1967 Boys State

 

Class of 1967 Girls State

 

Class of 1994 Boys and Girls State: Matt Dodge, Robert Kroggel and Mathew Keiser. Girls sitting; Rennee Martin, Sally Dawson, standing alternates Amy Young and Jessica Smith.

 

2019 Scarlet S Yearbook. Page 82. Buckeye Boys and Girls State spread celebrating 100 years of The American Legion.

 

Class of 2003, Buckeye Boys State. JOHN CARLISLE, ADAM TURNER, RYAN KELLEY, KEVIN LYNCH and JOHN PRYOR .

 

Class of 2005 Buckeye Boys State. Row 1: ERIC BAIRD, AARON SHAVER, CODY MARTINEZ. Row 2: SALATHIEL BAKER, ADAM HILL and FRANK SCHROEDER.

 

Class of 2005 Buckeye Girls State. Row 1: JAN KILGORE. Row 2: MARIA KRAMER, HEATHER HOWARD. Row 3: HALI RAMSEY. Not Pictured: HALSY MONROE AND JULIE McCLISH:

 

Shelby Class of 2008 Boys and Girls State. Joseph Carriere, Jake Penwell, Sean Weaver, Bruce Schroeder, Jordan Nelson, Zachariah Crahen and Scott Baird. ----- Jessica Harmon, Amy Bartosiak, Felicia Kreinbrink, Chelsey Eldridge and Jacklyn Leonhardt.

 

View more photo galleries by Post 326 in Shelby, Ohio