By Austin Fitzgerald, intern writer, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE Ky.—For the third year in a row, the American Legion Kentucky Boys State took place at Campbellsville University from June 2-8.
American Legion Boys State is a participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government. The goal is for students to learn the rights, privileges and responsibilities of franchised citizens.
The 2018 Kentucky Boys State (KBS) had 101 students participate this year.
Students hear lectures from professors, lawyers, politicians and KBS staff. During the event students a split into two political parties- the Nationalist and the Federalist- where they began running primary elections for the seven State Congressional offices.
The elected officials of both parties are then entered into a debate where they try to win over the other partys votes. After the election is done, the students break into their separate groups, the Congressional officers, the Senate, the House of Representatives, Kentucky State Police, the Kentucky Supreme Court and the journalism staff.
After the students are split into their group, the House and Senate began writing bills that are debated and voted on by both parties, in hopes that they be signed into effect.
At the end of the event the students all go to the Capital, located in Frankfort, Ky. While at the capital the students break up into their separate groups, where the remaining bills are be debated and voted on within the House and Senate Chambers.
The bills that are passed by both chambers get sent to the KBS Governor, where the bill will be discussed with the other Congressional officers and they decide to sign or veto the bill.
After the bill leaves the Governors desk, it is then sent to the Supreme Court chamber, where the KBS Supreme Court will decide if the bill is constitutional or not.
The Kentucky Boys State class of 2018 also experienced a ceremony that took place at Campbellsville University. Last year Dr. Peter Trzop, the director of KBS, met with Dr. Carter with plans of installing a plaque and a flagpole on campus. The plans went into effect and the final project was dedicated to Kentucky Boys State this year while the camp was still in session.
Three flags now fly in the middle of Campbellsville Universities Stapp Lawn, located at 1 University Drive, Campbellsville, Ky.
For more information about Kentucky Boys State visit www.kyboysstate.org.
Campbellsville University is a widely-acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with nearly 8,000 students offering over 80 programs of study including 20 master's degrees, six postgraduate areas and seven pre-professional programs. The university has off-campus centers in Louisville, Harrodsburg, Somerset, Hodgenville and Liberty with instructional sites in Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Summersville and the newly established West Coast Site in Costa Mesa, Calif., plus a full complement of online programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.