Raymond Bauer, a member of the Greene County Class of 2027, spent a week of his summer at the American Legion Boys State of Iowa at Camp Dodge in Johnston. He was sponsored by American Legion Post 11 of Jefferson.
Boys State is a six-day immersive civics camp that provides hands-on experiences in the operation and fundamentals of government, the American Legion website explains. The programs uses a curriculum focused on Learn, Engage, Accept, Do and Share – LEADS – to empower students to take action. Leadership development is a key aspect of the program.
Bauer described Boys State as an “incredible experience.” He said each day was fully scheduled with carious activities, periods for a full working government system run by the delegates, separate military-related activities, team building opportunities, and more.
He said since attending Boys State, “I have a completely different understanding of our government and how important each vote is. Every part of the government is like an intertwined system that all rely on each other to perform properly.”
Raymond is the son of Derrick and Lita Bauer of rural Jefferson.
“Overall, Boys State was an incredible experience that I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about government, leadership, and growing as an individual,” he concluded.
“Boys State is a leadership and citizenship program that gives young men the opportunity to learn how government works by actually participating in it. We were very happy to send Raymond this year, and he represented our community extremely well,” Boys State selection committee chair Jeff Lamoureux said. “Raymond made the most of the experience and was a great ambassador for Jefferson. We hope to continue supporting this outstanding program and send another deserving student to Boys State next year.”
Historically, the Floyd W. Brown American Legion Post #11 sent many delegates each year, sometimes 3-5 young men at a time, and most of them were sponsored by local businesses. In recent years, the current cost of sending a delegate is $600. Local businesses or individuals that would like to contribute to this outstanding program are asked to consider donating to American Legion Post #11 with a note that your donation is for this program specifically. Completing the Boys State course is regarded by colleges as equivalent to obtaining Eagle Scout, so it’s quite an accomplishment to attend. Donations for this program may be sent to American Legion Post #11, 305 S. Oak St, Jefferson, IA.
