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Veterans teaming up to help youth

Submitted Photo Pictured from left are: Post 327 Boys State Chairman Joe Seminatore, VFW Post 6764 representative Bob McIntosh, Chautauqua County Boys State Chair Henry Link and Post 327 Commander Tim Abbey.

WESTFIELD — On Tuesday, March 20 the John W. Rogers American Legion Post 327 Westfield held its monthly meeting. Post 327 Boys State Chairman Joe Seminatore invited Chautauqua County Boys State Chairman Henry Link and Bob McIntosh of the W. P. Jackway VFW Post 6764, Westfield to attend the meeting.

Chairman Link explained to the post membership why it is such an honor to be selected to attend the Boys State program and how it will benefit the young men not only now but in the future. Link told of a young man from Brocton that attended Boys State in 2017 and is the sixth of six children in the family. Money for college is a little more difficult to find. His older brother is in the Air Force so he decided to see if he could get an ROTC scholarship. He applied for ROTC at Niagara University. There are nine criteria that an individual is graded on to be a selected as a member of the ROTC Program. One of the criteria is “be an Eagle Scout or attend Boys State.” Because he attended Boys State in 2017 and maxed all eight of the other criteria, not only was he accepted in ROTC but he has received a full four-year scholarship to become an Army officer.

Traditionally, Post 327 sends two delegates to attend Boys State. This year the finances just were not available to send the second delegate due to the relocation of the Post home from Clark Street to the new Post home on Route 20. Chairman Seminatore reached out to Bob McIntosh of the W. P. Jackway VFW Post 6764, Westfield and asked for their help to send a second young man. McIntosh attended Boys State in 1971 and knew what an excellent program it is. McIntosh asked his Board of Directors to give the opportunity to the second Westfield High School junior. The board did not hesitate. Part of the mission of both the VFW and the American Legion is to help youth. McIntosh presented Link with a check for $400 to cover the full cost of the second WACS delegate.

This is not the first time the Westfield VFW Post 6764 has helped Boys State delegates. VFW Post 6764 has sponsored a total of six young men through the County American Legion in the past four years.

The American Legion Boys State is among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U.S. high school students. A participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government, Boys State was founded in 1935 to counter the socialism-inspired Young Pioneer Camps. The program was the idea of two Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, who organized the first Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

At Boys State, participants learn the rights, privileges and responsibilities of franchised citizens. The training is objective and centers on the structure of city, county and state governments. Operated by students elected to various offices, Boys State activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, choruses and recreational programs.

American Legion posts select high school juniors to attend the program. In most cases, individual expenses are paid by a sponsoring post, a local business or another community-based organization.

Boys State programs currently exist in all American Legion departments except Hawaii, as a separate corporation. Boys State programs vary in content and method of procedure, but each adheres to the same basic concept: teaching government with a two-party system from the township to the state level.

The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a separate but similar program for young women called Girls State.

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