GREENFIELD — For the first time in about two decades, the American Legion of Greenfield will send students to the annual Massachusetts Boys State come mid-June.
Under the direction of Frederick G. Clark, Post 81 will sponsor two high school juniors — Max Shapiro of Greenfield High School and Owen MacPhee of Deerfield Academy — to go to the week-long event held at Stonehill College in North Easton that teaches high-achieving students about civics and how various elements of the political system work.
“They’re going down there and they’re going to learn different aspects of government,” Clark said. “The biggest thing they’re going to learn is to get along with each other.”
He added: “That’s the best thing. It brings together a group of young people who all have the same goals in life.”
Clark came over to the Greenfield post a few years ago but had always been familiar with the Boys State program and wanted his local chapter to also sponsor students. Statewide about 400 high school juniors will attend the state program.
The students at Boys State will form their own mini-political system during the week. They will be assigned to a town, which will be their dorm, and to a political party — Federalist or Nationalist. They have the chance to be elected and participate in other civics and town activities, such as intramural sports or writing for a newspaper. All of this will happen from June 17 to 23.
“It’s a place where someone who is good academically has a chance to achieve some goals outside of school,” Clark said.
The students, Shaprio and MacPhee, were nominated both by their teachers and school administration as juniors who demonstrate above average academics and have a sense of patriotism, sportsmanship and are self-reliant.
In prior years Post 81 would receive information about Boys State but they didn’t have anyone to spearhead the initiative. Clark came in and was nominated chairman of the program that he has always found as a valuable experience for students.
“With our changing times, with the way things seem to be happening, politically and everything, the climate is good for someone to have as much knowledge of our political future and what better way to do then to go practice it,” Clark said.
In the future the post hopes to sponsor additional students, including for the Girls State program. Each student costs about $350 to sponsor, which funds all costs over the course of the week.
By the nature of the region and the amount of American Legion posts in the area, Post 81 can help sponsor students who go to school in the area, even if they are not from Greenfield specifically. Clarks is excited for Shapiro and MacPhee to represent both the region and their schools.
“I know these two people who are going are certainly capable of it,” he said.