; View Photo Gallery » ;;;Catawba College will host the 68th annual session of Tar Heel Boys' State June 17-23. This is the fifth consecutive year that the weeklong event has been held on campus and approximately 250 participants, all rising high school seniors from North Carolina, are expected. Spo...

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Sponsored by the American Legion, Tar Heel Boys' State is directed by Roy Pressley of Waynesville, a past State American Legion Commander and a Boys' State staffer for the last several years. Involving high school juniors who are academically in the top third of their class, the program is a weeklong practical study of the structure and operation of North Carolina State Government. In a non-partisan atmosphere, participants take a hands-on approach to learning how state and local governments function. Citizens, as the participants are known, develop an understanding of the responsibilities of citizenship by creating and living under their own mock government.

During the week, citizens are grouped into cities as they organize their own local government, elect officers, prepare a city charter and conduct city activities. Citizens also assume the role of a senator, representative or lobbyist to research and write bills for their legislature. Each citizen is also a member of a fictitious political party that will develop a party platform, campaign for party candidates and ultimately elect a slate of officers to govern.

Notable state leaders traditionally speak at sessions during Tar Heel Boys' State. Past speakers have included the N.C. governor and lieutenant governor, the N.C. attorney general and secretary of state, as well as distinguished alumni from the programs.

This year, slated speakers include on Monday, June 18, at 10:10 a.m., a debate between Mark Hufford, the Western Political Director for the N.C. Democratic Party, and Andrew Brock, a N.C. Republican State Senator; on Wednesday, June 20, at 1:30 p.m., Rowan County Commissioner Arnold Chamberlain and Rowan County School Board Chairman Bryce Beard will offer information to Boys' State participants about their roles as elected officials in county government, while High Point City Council Members John Faircloth, Benita Sims and Bill Bencini will discuss their roles as elected officials in city government; and on Friday, June 22, at 10 a.m., N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall will address Boys' State participants.

During the evening Friday, June 22, participants will be entertain each other with a chorus concert, a band concert, and a talent show. The week concludes with a commencement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 23, in Keppel Auditorium.

Notable former Boys' State participants include Catawba College Alumnus Phil Kirk ‘67,  chairman emeritus of the N.C. State Board of Education and vice president of external affairs for Catawba; professional basketball great Michael Jordan of N.C.; and N.C. Governors Jim Hunt and James Martin. National program alumni of note include U.S. President Bill Clinton, U.S. Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney, U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, NBC News Anchor Tom Brokaw and NASA Astronaut Neil Armstrong.

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• PHOTOS: Boys' State 2007 » ;
• Boys' State Scholarships »

For more information about Tar Heel Boys' State, visit their website at www.nclegion.org/boysstate.htm. Between June 17-23, contact Christopher Byrd, instructional coordinator for the program, on the Catawba College campus at (704) 637-4216, or Tonia Black-Gold, Catawba College communications officer, at (704) 637-4393. 

; View Photo Gallery » ;;;Catawba College will host the 68th annual session of Tar Heel Boys' State June 17-23. This is the fifth consecutive year that the weeklong event has been held on campus and approximately 250 participants, all rising high school seniors from North Carolina, are expected. Spo...

;

View Photo Gallery »

Sponsored by the American Legion, Tar Heel Boys' State is directed by Roy Pressley of Waynesville, a past State American Legion Commander and a Boys' State staffer for the last several years. Involving high school juniors who are academically in the top third of their class, the program is a weeklong practical study of the structure and operation of North Carolina State Government. In a non-partisan atmosphere, participants take a hands-on approach to learning how state and local governments function. Citizens, as the participants are known, develop an understanding of the responsibilities of citizenship by creating and living under their own mock government.

During the week, citizens are grouped into cities as they organize their own local government, elect officers, prepare a city charter and conduct city activities. Citizens also assume the role of a senator, representative or lobbyist to research and write bills for their legislature. Each citizen is also a member of a fictitious political party that will develop a party platform, campaign for party candidates and ultimately elect a slate of officers to govern.

Notable state leaders traditionally speak at sessions during Tar Heel Boys' State. Past speakers have included the N.C. governor and lieutenant governor, the N.C. attorney general and secretary of state, as well as distinguished alumni from the programs.

This year, slated speakers include on Monday, June 18, at 10:10 a.m., a debate between Mark Hufford, the Western Political Director for the N.C. Democratic Party, and Andrew Brock, a N.C. Republican State Senator; on Wednesday, June 20, at 1:30 p.m., Rowan County Commissioner Arnold Chamberlain and Rowan County School Board Chairman Bryce Beard will offer information to Boys' State participants about their roles as elected officials in county government, while High Point City Council Members John Faircloth, Benita Sims and Bill Bencini will discuss their roles as elected officials in city government; and on Friday, June 22, at 10 a.m., N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall will address Boys' State participants.

During the evening Friday, June 22, participants will be entertain each other with a chorus concert, a band concert, and a talent show. The week concludes with a commencement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 23, in Keppel Auditorium.

Notable former Boys' State participants include Catawba College Alumnus Phil Kirk ‘67,  chairman emeritus of the N.C. State Board of Education and vice president of external affairs for Catawba; professional basketball great Michael Jordan of N.C.; and N.C. Governors Jim Hunt and James Martin. National program alumni of note include U.S. President Bill Clinton, U.S. Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney, U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, NBC News Anchor Tom Brokaw and NASA Astronaut Neil Armstrong.

;
• PHOTOS: Boys' State 2007 » ;
• Boys' State Scholarships »

For more information about Tar Heel Boys' State, visit their website at www.nclegion.org/boysstate.htm. Between June 17-23, contact Christopher Byrd, instructional coordinator for the program, on the Catawba College campus at (704) 637-4216, or Tonia Black-Gold, Catawba College communications officer, at (704) 637-4393. 

Catawba College will host the 73rd annual session of Tar Heel Boys' State June 17-23. This is the ninth consecutive year that the weeklong event has been held on campus and approximately 300 participants, all rising high school seniors from North Carolina, are expected. Notable state leaders traditi...

Catawba College will host the 73rd annual session of Tar Heel Boys' State June 17-23. This is the ninth consecutive year that the weeklong event has been held on campus and approximately 300 participants, all rising high school seniors from North Carolina, are expected.

Notable state leaders traditionally speak at sessions during Tar Heel Boys' State. Past speakers have included the N.C. governor and lieutenant governor, the N.C. attorney general and secretary of state, as well as distinguished alumni from the programs.

This year, slated speakers include on Monday, June 18, at 9:00 a.m., Representative Linda Johnson will speak about writing bills and at 1:15 p.m. Durham City Councilman Michael Woodard will speak about the Democratic Party; on Wednesday, June 20, at 1:00 p.m., Salisbury City Councilman William Kennedy will discuss his role as an elected official in city government. Attorney General Roy Cooper will be speaking at 2:30 p.m. on the NC State Government and Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., NC Supreme Court Justice, Robert Edmunds will speak on the Judicial System. United States Congressman Bob Inglis will speak on issues facing the US Government on Friday June 22 at 10:00 am to the young men. That afternoon 4:00 p.m. Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton will speak about His Role in State Government and upcoming elections.

During the evening of Friday, June 22, participants will entertain each other with a band concert, and a talent show. The week concludes with a commencement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 23, in Keppel Auditorium.

Sponsored by the American Legion, Tar Heel Boys' State is directed by Charlie Cleary of Hillsborough, an American Legion member and a Boys' State staffer for the last several years. Involving high school juniors who are academically in the top third of their class, the program is a weeklong practical study of the structure and operation of North Carolina State Government. In a non-partisan atmosphere, participants take a hands-on approach to learning how state and local governments function. Citizens, as the participants are known, develop an understanding of the responsibilities of citizenship by creating and living under their own mock government.

During the week, citizens are grouped into cities as they organize their own local government, elect officers, prepare a city charter and conduct city activities. Citizens also assume the role of a senator, representative or lobbyist to research and write bills for their legislature. Each citizen is also a member of a fictitious political party that will develop a party platform, campaign for party candidates and ultimately elect a slate of officers to govern.

Former Boys' State participants of note include Catawba College Alumnus Phil Kirk ‘67, chairman emeritus of the N.C. State Board of Education; professional basketball great Michael Jordan of N.C.; and N.C. Governors Jim Hunt and James Martin. National program alumni of note include former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former U.S. Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney, U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, former NBC News Anchor Tom Brokaw and NASA Astronaut Neil Armstrong.

For more information about Tar Heel Boys' State, visit www.ncboysstate.org.

Between June 17-23, contact Christopher Byrd, instructional coordinator for the program, on the Catawba College campus at (704) 637-4216, or Tonia Black-Gold, Catawba College communications officer, at (704) 637-4393.

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