; View Photo Gallery » ;;;Catawba College will host the 69th annual session of Tar Heel Boys' State June 22-28. This is the sixth 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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View Photo Gallery »

;;;Catawba College will host the 69th annual session of Tar Heel Boys' State June 22-28. This is the sixth 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.

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.

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 23, at 9:00 a.m. Representative Linda Johnson will speak about writing bills and at 10:10 a.m., a debate between Jerry Meek, N.C. Democratic Party Chairman, and Andrew Brock, a N.C. Republican State Senator; on Wednesday, June 25, at 1:00 p.m., Rowan County Commissioner Arnold Chamberlain will offer information to Boys' State participants about his role as an elected official in county government and Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby will talk about his role in the judicial process, while High Point City Council Member Bernita Sims will discuss her role as an elected official in city government; also on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Supreme Court Justice Robert Edmunds will speak about the NC Court System; and on Friday, June 27, at 10 a.m., N.C. State Auditor Leslie Merritt along with Representative Laura Wiley at 1:30 p.m. will address Boys' State participants.

During the evening Friday, June 27, participants will be entertaining 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 28, 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 relations at Catawba College; 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, NBC News Anchor Tom Brokaw and NASA Astronaut Neil Armstrong.

For more information about Tar Heel Boys' State, visit their website at www.ncboysstate.org. Between June 22-28, 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.

RELATED CONTENT:

PHOTOS: Boys' State 2008

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• Catawba College Hosts the 69th Consecutive Session of Tar Heel Girls State ;
• Political Science at Catawba

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; View Photo Gallery » ;;;Catawba College will host the 69th annual session of Tar Heel Boys' State June 22-28. This is the sixth 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 »

;;;Catawba College will host the 69th annual session of Tar Heel Boys' State June 22-28. This is the sixth 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.

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.

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 23, at 9:00 a.m. Representative Linda Johnson will speak about writing bills and at 10:10 a.m., a debate between Jerry Meek, N.C. Democratic Party Chairman, and Andrew Brock, a N.C. Republican State Senator; on Wednesday, June 25, at 1:00 p.m., Rowan County Commissioner Arnold Chamberlain will offer information to Boys' State participants about his role as an elected official in county government and Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby will talk about his role in the judicial process, while High Point City Council Member Bernita Sims will discuss her role as an elected official in city government; also on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Supreme Court Justice Robert Edmunds will speak about the NC Court System; and on Friday, June 27, at 10 a.m., N.C. State Auditor Leslie Merritt along with Representative Laura Wiley at 1:30 p.m. will address Boys' State participants.

During the evening Friday, June 27, participants will be entertaining 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 28, 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 relations at Catawba College; 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, NBC News Anchor Tom Brokaw and NASA Astronaut Neil Armstrong.

For more information about Tar Heel Boys' State, visit their website at www.ncboysstate.org. Between June 22-28, 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.

RELATED CONTENT:

PHOTOS: Boys' State 2008

;

;
• Catawba College Hosts the 69th Consecutive Session of Tar Heel Girls State ;
• Political Science at Catawba

;