A group of students from Bishop O'Connell High School have been chosen by local American Legion posts and auxiliaries to participate in summer residential programs designed especially for high school students interested in citizenship, government and the law.
Boys State
The American Legion Post 85 has selected four students from Bishop O’Connell to participate in this summer’s Boys State, which is held June 16-22 at Radford University: Rhys Bergeron, Paul Bothwell, Jerome Delgaudio and Jethro Torczon.
American Legion Boys State is an educational program of government instruction for high school juniors. Each participant becomes a part of the operation of a simulated local, county and state government, and the students participate in legislative sessions, court proceedings, law enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, chorus and recreational programs.
The Virginia Boys State is a "leadership action program,” designed to develop a working knowledge of the structure of government. Along the way participants have the opportunity to learn the political process. Each level of government is run by those delegates who are elected to serve. Instructional sessions focus on the law and court system, parliamentary procedure and Virginia political history.
Girls State
Bishop O’Connell junior, Elizabeth Dannenfelser, has been selected by American Legion Auxiliary Post 194 to participate in this summer’s Virginia Girls State, which will be held during the same week at Longwood University. This program is designed to provide functional citizenship training for young women who are rising high school seniors. Girls State affords these students an opportunity to live together as self-governing citizens, informing them about the duties, privileges, rights, and responsibilities of American citizenship, in order that they may understand and participate in the functioning of their government.
It is a week-long study of Virginia government that includes special activities and classes such as: women in government, judiciary, public speaking, public service, newspaper publishing, parliamentary procedure, activism in art, chorus, band and several athletic activities.
Junior Law Cadets
Two sisters from Bishop O’Connell, Allison and Veronica Sullivan, have been selected by American Legion Post 44 to participate in the 2013 Virginia Junior Law Cadet Program. This program is designed to present the opportunity for boys and girls to learn about law enforcement responsibilities and training from representatives of various city, county, state and federal agencies. The 23rd annual session in Virginia will take place July 14-19.
Approximately 40 eleventh graders students from across the commonwealth have been selected to attend this year’s Virginia Junior Law Cadet Program, which will be held at the Virginia State Police Academy in Richmond. During the five-day residential session, students will participate in daily classroom sessions, and learn about the operation of radar, VASCAR and other State Police equipment.