Carlisle B. Grisham Post
49
THE AMERICAN LEGION
124 Cloverleaf Drive
(mailing address – P.O. Box 45, Athens, AL
35612)
Athens, Alabama 35611
Post 49 Web site
www.athenspost49.org
Coming Soon – Boys’ and Girl’ State:
May will soon be gone and with its end comes the arrival of Boys’ and Girls’ State. For more than half a century the American Legion has sponsored Boys’ State and Boys’ Nation programs, and the American Legion Auxiliary has sponsored and supported Girls State and Girls’ Nation. This year selected high school juniors from around Limestone County will once again participate in the program, which is intended to promote good citizenship and interest in government.
Monday evening, May 9th, the Athens Post 49 and the Auxiliary Unit 49, of the American Legion, hosted an organization and orientation program at the Post for twenty junior class boys and girls selected to participate in the programs, and their parents. The students will attend programs conducted at the University of Alabama, Boys’ State, and Troy State University, Girls’ State. Both programs are one week long beginning on May 29th. This year’s representatives were informed about what to expect from Haley Lewter and Jackson Cornelison, both of whom represented Ardmore High School at the 2010 session. Both Lewter and Cornelison told this year’s group to expect a good time, but also a lot of work. Both of them said they were very tired at the end of a week of organizing local and state government, campaigning for office, and developing programs and plans for the civil bodies they created. Both had many suggestions. One of Lewter’s suggestions was that the girls take comfortable shoes with them as they will be “constantly on the go.” Cornelison mentioned that no matter how tired one gets “don’t nod off during a session because Coach Saban may be there and he does not like that.”
The students and their parents were treated to a pizza dinner by Post 49, and the Auxiliary provided a chocolate sheet cake with vanilla frosting, which displayed an American Flag with “Congratulations, Boys & Girls State 2011.”
In addition to the presentations by Lewter and Cornelison, the group was addressed by Mayor Ron Marks of Athens, and American Legion 1st Division Commander George Krigbaum of Cullman. Mayor Marks, in addition to encouraging the students to “do well” at Tuscaloosa and Troy, told them about recent disaster responses by local government. He said that what they will learn at Boys’ and Girls’ State will help prepare them to someday be community leaders who may be called upon to respond in like situations. Division Commander Krigbaum congratulated the students and encouraged them to “make the most of this opportunity, and run for office while you are in Tuscaloosa or Troy.” Mary Duncan, Auxiliary Unit 49, is coordinating this year’s participation of both the Boys’ and Girls’ State. Ms. Duncan has been involved with Girls” State for 12 years. She spoke to the group about organizational issues and answered questions from students and their parents. Ms. Duncan said “I just love doing this and seeing the excitement of these young people, and I’m pleased to be able to provide more assistance to the boys this year.”
This year’s student delegates are: Logan Dean and Trenton Barksdale, Athens Bible School; Emmie Bodiford, Jacob Smith and Justin Beasley, Athens High School; Marla Smith, Zach Stander, Hunter Reece, Austin Green, and Jame Speer of East Limestone; Emory Gilbert, Clements High School; Rachel Gooch and Randy Furline, Faith Christian Academy; Magen Barnett and Caleb Lindsay, Ardmore High School; Sara Edge and Maurice Mull, Tanner High School; Brenna Dean and Will Britton, West Limestone High School; and Daniel Logan, Elkmont High School.
Pictured above are speakers at Monday night’s
orientation for Limestone County Boys’ and
Girls’ State participants held at the Carlisle
B. Grisham Post 49, The American Legion, in
Athens. From left to right are Mayor Ron Marks
of Athens, Haley Lewter and Jackson Cornelison,
seniors at Ardmore High School and participants
in the 2010 Boys’ and Girls’ State Program, Mary
Duncan, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 49,
Limestone County coordinator, and American
Legion 1st Division Commander George
Krigbaum of Cullman.
These Junior Class girls from Limestone
County will represent their schools at the 2011
Girls State to be held at Troy State University:
(Left to Right) Emmie Bodiford, Athens High
School; Brenna Dean, West Limestone; Logan Dean,
Athens Bible School; Sara Edge, Tanner High
School; Rachel Gooch, Faith Christian Academy;
Emory Gilbert, Clements High School; Magen
Barnett, Ardmore High School; and Marla Smith,
East Limestone High School.
2011 representatives of their schools at
Boys’ State, to be held at the University of
Alabama in Tuscaloosa, are: (Sitting, Left to
Right) Trenton Barksdale, Athens Bible School;
Maurice Mull, Tanner High School; Jacob Smith,
Athens High School; (Standing, Left to Right)
Will Britton, West Limestone High School; Caleb
Lindsay, Ardmore High School; Randy Furline,
Faith Christian Academy; Zach Stander, East
Limestone; and Justin Beasley, Athens High
School. Not pictured are Jame Speer, Hunter
Reece and Austin Green of East Limestone High
School, and Daniel Logan of Elkmont High School.
Submitted by
Rod Huffman, Junior Vice Commander
May
12, 2011