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Health & Fitness

Girls State and Boys State leadership program

On October 8, the Watsonville American Legion Post #121 and the Women’s Auxiliary hosted their annual Girls and Boys State dinner.  Students from Watsonville high and St. Francis High School attended.  Each student had an opportunity to share their experience and what they cherished during their week long leadership program.  Students who were interested applied their junior year and those chosen were evaluated based on GPA, leadership qualities, active participation in extra-curricular activities, and enthusiasm for the program. The Girls State Program was held at McKenna College in Claremont and Boys State was held at California State University, Sacramento.   Both programs show young men and women how a government operates by holding mock campaigns and elections. The programs are centered on student participation and operation of their own self-created government. The students take qualifying exams to be attorneys in the mock governments and participate in politics that range from local to state government. Essentially, they elect city, county, and state officials in these self-created institutions.  Students come from all over the state to participate in this adventure into politics. It provides the participants a chance to witness the diversity of opinions based on idealology as well as geographical location. 

Watsonville High School Principal, Elaine Legorreta, St. Francis High School Principal, Patrick Lee, and 4th District County Supervisor, Greg Caput were in attendance. 

The American Legion Post #121 of Watsonville has been a proud sponsor of local youngsters and consider it their finest event.  Henry Garcia and I have run the program over the years and have donated a lot of our time to this tradition of teaching the next generation the process of government and politics.  This program serves to enlighten the next generation of their role in government and the role government plays in their lives. 

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For any students in their junior year who would like to participate, please contact your high school counselor for more information. The next round of interviews begins in February.

Melanie Martinez - Salas

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Girls State Unit and District 28 Chairperson

Henry Garcia

Boys State Chairman District 28

Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties

 

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