Guest Column by Sam Ehrhardt

Albert Lea High School student Sam Ehrhardt is a summer intern at the Tribune.

As I got out of my car in the Southwest Minnesota State University parking lot on June 12, I was immediately bombarded with blistering heat. Though the next week of my life would be perhaps the most influential so far, I could focus on nothing but the near 100-degree temperature. I would quickly forget about that, though, as I would soon be busy having the time of my life.

Boys State is the name of the program, a mock government run by the American Legion. Three hundred twenty young men attend the program, and every single one is affected by it.

The weeklong event first teaches the boys politics by pounding the fundamentals into their heads. Over the first two days we attended around six classes, all on different parts of state government.

After doing so, we took a more hands-on approach, running elections from the city level all the way through to state elections. Parallel to elections were conventions. At the conventions, we decided as a group upon planks, or core values, that we would base our bills off of. These conventions took place at the city, county and state level. At each level, planks would be added, amended and dropped altogether.

The most effective thing the program does, though, is have the boys run everything. Every single meeting, election and convention is run by the participants. There were counselors around for guidance, but, as the counselors constantly reminded us, it was our Boys State.

We elected people for city, county and state offices, and passed bills through state legislature. I was the House majority leader at the state convention, so my main job was helping pass bills. The boys at the program write their own bills, introduce them themselves and vote on them in the Senate and the House. The weeklong government simulation arms boys across the state with the knowledge they need to understand and take part in politics.

Lessons about politics, however, were not the only ones we learned. I made a very close friend that week in my roomate, Austin, along with countless others. Myself and the 27 other members of Winona became about as close as 28 young men can be. Throughout the week, we learned how to work together, trust others and break barriers of differing opinions to accomplish greatness.

The days were extremely busy: Our last city meeting of the day ended at 11 p.m. each day, but afterward there was studying for the test, writing for the newspaper and working on bills to be done. Every morning we woke up around 6:30 a.m. Collectively, we received about 30 minutes of actual free time each day.

What I realize looking back is that with a more lenient schedule, I would enjoy the Boys State process for a much longer time. Despite how busy it was, I grew tremendously as a person, learned an immense amount about the political process and made many new friends. For now, though, one week of the trying program is enough for me.