Boys State

It was a busy week for Sawyer at Boys State, held on the Morrisville campus. Over 1000 boys from all across the state were bussed in and housed in the campus residence halls. Each floor was a town, each hall a county. All together they make up Boys State, a fictitious place designed to reflect the governmental and political process in New York State.

Overall he liked the experience. He knows that only a small handful of are chosen to attend and he liked the insight into how things work. Everyone is assigned or elected into a position of some sort. He was the Parks Commissioner for his town. He didn't have to do anything specific but that was his title. Others who are more outspoken or politically ambitious were able to run for public office, and one gets elected governor.

The only aspect Sawyer didn't like was the boot camp atmosphere. Marines are part of Boys State (which is run and sponsored by the American Legion: Sawyer and another boy from Alfred were sponsored by the Almond American Legion). Sawyer understood before going that the Marines were there to help facilitate the movement of 1000 boys and knew there would be some type of military aspect. But he was unprepared for the extent of it. He thought the Marine assigned to his floor was a bit too harsh and demanding. He had backed off a bit by the end of the week but it left a sour taste in Sawyer's mouth.

I imagine, like many things, it will take some time for him to reflect on the experience before he truly understands the impact and what he learned.

Now we're in middle of packing for our annual camping trip to Lake George. About 30 of us (almost all with Alfred U. degrees) converge on the lake for primitive camping, communal meals, relaxing, time in and on the water, and ignoring the realities of life. It's our 10th year of what we call PirateFest. Let the shenanigans begin!

Luckily, each of Sawyer's treatments is falling at a convenient time in our summer schedule, although his one later this month did need to be moved a week to accommodate our upcoming Make-A-Wish Alaskan cruise!