Boys and Girls State information and selection process

American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 has established the following time frame as guidance for the high school junior boys and girls wishing to attend their respective Dirigo State conventions in June 2016.

Interested juniors should submit their names to the Windham High School guidance office and receive an information package before March 18^th.

On March 18^th representatives for the Field-Allen Post and Field-Allen Auxiliary along with some of last year’s delegates will brief this year’s juniors on the process and expectations. Application forms will be available at this meeting.

On April Friday, April 1^st, the Legion and Auxiliary representatives will be at Windham High School to conduct individual interviews for those interested candidates who have their paperwork completed. All application forms, parental consent and medical forms must be completed by April 1^st to be considered.

Following the interview, the Legion and Auxiliary committees will review the applications and recommend primary and alternate candidates to attend Boys State and Girls State in June. Notifications will be made of the results of the committee meetings the following week. 

Presentations will be made to selected candidates during undergraduate awards night in June.

The current funding is for three boys and two girls to attend their respective programs. If additional funding becomes available, than additional candidates will be considered.

The funding for the programs, room and meals, is paid in full by the Legion community (with the help of donations). Individual candidates will be responsible for their own transportation to the Dirigo locations and for incidental spending funds.

Specific needs are addressed in the information packages provided to each candidate.

The Boys State convention will be held a Thomas College in Waterville, the week of June 19^th to the 23^rd.

The Girls State convention will be held at Husson University in Bangor the week of June 19^th to the 23^rd.

The convention is a very intense, emersion in government programs. Once a delegate has committed to attending, they should plan on staying for the entire week.

Those chosen by the State Convention will go on to a National Convention. Three years ago, Windham was fortunate to send two delegates selected by the State Convention to represent the State of Maine in Washington DC.

For additional information, contact the high school guidance office or go to the American Legion, Dept. of Maine website at http://www.mainelegion.org and click programs in the left column, or http://www.maineala.org and see Girls State. Locally, contact Mel Greenier at 892-7449 (boys) or Pam Whynot at 892-4720 (girls).