Stephenville High School senior students, Philip Wiggins, P.D. Peak, Hayden DiJulio, and Savanah Caten were guest speakers at American Legion Turnbow-Higgs Post 240 and Auxiliary Unit 240 Third Tuesday meal meeting August 15. The four students (3) Lone Star Boys State, and (1) Bluebonnet Girls State were delegates sponsored by The American Legion Department of Texas, and local Turnbow-Higgs American Legion Post and Auxiliary Unit 240. In keeping with tradition, the four delegates and their families were invited to Post and Auxiliary Unit 240 meal meeting to share from the podium their thoughts & experiences during Lone Star Boys State week (June 11-16) at UT in Austin, and Bluebonnet Girls State week (June 18-24) at Texas Lutheran in Seguin, Texas.
The Lone Star Boys' State is an annual program, sponsored by the American Legion in which teenage boys are given training in functional aspects of citizenship and taught constructive attitudes toward the American form of government. The purpose of the program is to assure the survival of the American democratic form of government by teaching youth to appreciate the basic principles of a democratic society. Nationally the program was begun in the 1930s to counter Fascist-inspired Young Pioneer Freedom camps. Participants are grouped into mock cities and form a mock state government, including the election of state officers. The boys selected are high-school juniors and are chosen by school officials and Legionnaires. Boys must be cooperative and motivated. The program is held each summer, usually in June, at the University of Texas campus in Austin. Two boys are chosen to attend Boys' Nation in Washington, D.C. each July.
Texas Bluebonnet Girls’ State is an American Legion program similar to Lone Star Boys State was instituted as part of the Americanism program of the American Legion Auxiliary in 1940 to counter certain imported un-American activities identified by the American Legion before World War II. The program's intent is to train high-school-age girls in becoming better citizens, with emphasis on American democratic principles and the American system of government. Program objectives also include teaching participants to live together as a self-governing group and informing them about the duties, privileges, rights, and responsibilities of American citizenship. Two girls each year are selected as members of Girls' Nation, held in Washington, D.C.
Post 240 Commander, Keith Fredrickson, and Auxiliary Unit 240 President, Martha Fredrickson, presented Citations to American Legion Department of Texas 2023 Boys and Girls State Delegates.
