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On Tuesday evening, October 23rd, at the American Legion Beckwith Post 110 hall, the Medfield High School Boys State and Girls State citizens attended a dinner recognizing them as the 2018 MHS representatives.
Ten MHS boys and eight MHS girls were chosen to participate in Massachusetts Boys State or Massachusetts Girls State from June 16–22, held at Stonehill College. High school girls and boys from across the Commonwealth are selected to attend after an application process during their junior year of high school.
Karl Schwartz, AL-110, Boys State Chair, and Eileen DeSorgher, American Legion Auxillary Post 110 (ALS-110), Girls State Chair, introduced each Boys and Girls State citizen. Each student spoke briefly about their experience and thanked the sponsors and their parents for the opportunity to experience this unique and rewarding event.
Ruth Chick, a 1952 Medfield High School Girls State citizen and 25-plus year member and executive officer of the ALA-110, spoke to the crowd about her experience at Girls State 66 years ago. She also spoke about the importance of citizenship and encourged all the Girls and Boys State citizens to exercise their right to vote.
The entire cost of sending students to these programs is completely dependent on fundraising by the American Legion and the Legion Auxiliary. This year's sponsors were The American Legion- 110, the ALA- 110, The Medfield Lions Club and Medfield Employers and Merchants Organization (MEMO).
Students and their parents are not allowed to contribute to the cost of attending Massachusetts Boys or Girls State. However, sponsorship donations are welcome from local organizations, businesses and residents, but it would have no impact on which students will be chosen.
For more information about Boys and Girls State, check out their websites: http://www.massgirlsstate.org and http://www.maboysstate.org.
