The Westwood American Legion Post 320 welcomed Will McDonell (Catholic Memorial School), Cam Valentine, Richard Li and John Rogers (Westwood HS) to the Post’s November monthly business meeting. Each of these young men spoke on their experiences in the American Legion Boys’ State program held at Stonehill College in North Easton.
The youth who were sponsored by Westwood Post 320 to attend American Legion Boys State, which is the premier program for teaching how government works while developing leadership skills and an appreciation for our rights as citizens.
As participants in the program, they ran for office, learned public speaking, created and enforced laws, and actively participated in all phases of creating and running a working government in this exciting and fun summer program.
The American Legion, Department of Massachusetts, Inc. also sponsors a "Student Trooper Program" in cooperation with the Massachusetts State Police Academy every year.
The program is designed to expose young adults to the demands of police training and to develop better relationships between the youth of our communities and the police that serve them.
The Student Trooper program is an intensive, one-week, residential learning experience for young adults, ages 15 through 17. The program is held at the Massachusetts State Police Academy in New Braintree.
Veteran Massachusetts State Police trainers provide classroom and hands-on training in topics such as first aid/CPR, criminal law, officer safety, crime scene investigations, safe driving, leadership, internet safety, team building, and physical fitness. Student troopers will also observe and participate in demonstrations by members of State Police specialty units such as tactical teams, the K-9 unit, and the Air Wing.
For more information about the American Legion and these and other youth programs, including the Oratory Contest, which offers scholarship money to the winners, visit http://www.westwoodalpost320.com.
