Richland Parish delegates leave for Boys, Girls State program

The American Legion Auxiliary together with American Legion announces that all Richland Parish delegates for Girls State and Boys State will leave for the Northwestern Louisiana University campus in Natchitoches this weekend.
Boys And Girls State coordinator Kaye Perritt said delegates will leave at noon June 21 from the Monroe Civic Center and return at mid afternoon June 27.
Each delegate has a sponsor who makes it possible to attend the week long program. A thank you advertisement listing all these sponsors is included in this issue of the Richland Beacon-News.
These delegates were chosen by completing an application placed in all the schools for students.
 These applications were accompanied by a resume and essay stating why they would like to attend this state program. Based on their application and recommendations from their school and the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary, the delegates are selected on criteria of leadership, character, scholarship and patriotism.
These delegates performed community service on Memorial Day week with the distribution of poppies throughout the parish.
They were complimented for the great job they did with giving back to the community with this activity.
While at Northwestern, these students learn by actually performing the functions of local and state government officials in a mythical 51st state with a constitution, statutes and ordinances passed by its citizens to govern themselves. They will have a better understanding of just how the judicial system works and know how important it is for citizens to vote. They return home with the knowledge of how to be a first class citizen.
Delegates attending are Mariana Tarver, Leslie Ann Sharbono, Katherine Payne, Kriste Payne and Joseph Morris from Riverfield Academy; Jada Gaines, Noah Cardin and Jordan Ponder from Mangham High School; Alexus Johnson, Annabell Maxwell, Gabby Tate and Bryan Stansbury from Delhi Charter School; Leon Green from Rayville High School; and T’Keaya Cooper, Latia Hopkins, Tamia Hopkins and De’Lashundra Johnson from Delhi High School.
The American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary thank all the sponsors who make this outstanding one of a kind program possible. Only high school juniors are eligible to be given the opportunity to attend this program.
Investments made in our youth help make them become the future leaders of tomorrow.