Boys’ State at ENMU this week

For the better park of a week, prospective New Mexico high school boys will be taking a crash course in democracy. Starting June 4, Boys’ State will be holding its 2006 leadership program at Eastern New Mexico University to teach high school students about the interworkings of the government.

During the course of the program, the students will be participating in a mock democracy, said Robert Jaramillo, commander of American Legion Post 69. Officials will be elected to form legislatures from a city council up to a state government. Students will create ideas for new laws themselves and try to get them passed using a model of legislature.

“Whoever comes up with the best ideas is elected to attend Boys Nation in Washington, DC,” said Jaramillo. One boy and girl from New Mexico who participated in State will have this honor. The Samsung scholarship is awarded to another student at each State session.

The event will last four days with students coming from all over New Mexico. Many people who attend The American Legion Post’s Boys’ or Girls’ State program end up as government officials, according to Jaramillo.

Girls’ state was held in Las Cruces earlier this year.