Boys and Girls State
- Destiny Facio (S-5) and Sofia Garcia (S-5)
- Jun 27, 2019
- 2 min read
"I attended Texas Boys state at UT Austin from June 9th through June 14th. While there I met people from towns in Texas with less than a thousand people to people from major cities in Texas. I was exposed to every range on the political spectrum and while I didn’t agree with everyone’s politics we all still got along and enjoyed each other was people. The American legion brought us together with Americanism and Texas pride. Texas Boys State has a “learn by doing” approach where they give you some guidance, but then you have to learn on your own. This trial by fire method works really well and it allows us Statesmen to make it our own. We were told that from day one, “It’s your Boys State”. I myself took this to heart and made the most out of my experience by being elected as a county and state delegate, a member of the platform committee and the Owsley District Clerk. Texas Boys State was an amazing experience and I met people there who I would proudly call my brother and stand with them through any test."
-Joseph Aceves (S-2)
"Girls state was a great experience. We got to see how government ran and even had the opportunity to run it ourselves at a city, county and state level. We learned how to write and pass laws and held daily House and Senate sessions where we were able to debate over important issues. Meeting so many diverse girls and hearing everyone's opinions was a great way to open up and understand the way that everyone sees the world. I loved seeing the support every girl was given, even when they didn't agree with each other."
-Gabi Woodward (BC)
"Attending the 75th Bluebonnet Texas Girls State has enriched my knowledge about the government and patriotism. With this opportunity, I developed friendships with motivated individuals from all across the state and expanded my personal comfort zone. Girls State educated me with ways to be involved in my community by participating in creating bills, running for office, and writing debates. Throughout the session, I was taught the value of my voice as a citizen and the importance of being involved in my local politics by staying in engaged with current views and issues."
-Rafika Islam (XO)