Prepared by Russ Hanseter Chairman of Board Badger Boys State Inc.

1. A GUIDE FOR BADGER BOYS STATE- POST/SPONSOR CHAIRPERSONA Program of The Department of Wisconsin American Legion Prepared by Russ Hanseter Chairman of Board Badger Boys State Inc.

2. BBS Post/Sponsor Chair • Congratulations to you for being appointed Post/Sponsor Chair for the Badger Boys State (BBS) Program. • After the October BBS Board Meeting a brief notice was placed in the Department Adjutants Notes Titled- Badger Boys State- Post Chairman & Sponsor Alert(October 15, 2010). • Following are some important facts from that program alert: • Our 70th Session is scheduled for June 11-18, 2011. • Badger Boys State for the 68th year will be located at Ripon College, Ripon Wisconsin. • Opening Saturday June 11, 2011 Registration in the Storzer Physical Education Facility from 1:00-4:30PM. • Session closes Saturday June 18, 2011 at about 10:30AM. • The fee remains at $235 per boy sponsored.

3. WHEN WILL I GET SOME MORE INFOMATION? • Your first mailing will arrive after mid November titled To Badger Boys State Sponsor Chairman. • The mailing will include a 2011 Tri-fold Brochure and a Reservation Card (white). • The Reservation Card tells us how many boys you intend to sponsor at $235 each for the 2011 session. • A check for the total amount should be mailed to BBS Headquarters prior to January 31, to ensure a slot for your boys. • You will receive a registration card and an alternate card for each boy you sponsor. The selection of alternates is important for two reasons: (1) The alternate can easily be contacted if your primary candidate cannot attend and (2) As an example in the 2010 session more than 50 alternates were asked to attend as replacements for candidates from other schools who could not find an alternate. • After review of your materials should you have any questions please contact Program Coordinator Angela at our Headquarters. Phone 1-608-745-1090.

4. CONTACTING YOUR SCHOOL(S) • Review your Tri-Fold Brochure and take it to school with you as they won’t receive their initial mailing until some time after mid-December. • When you contact your area high school or schools ask for the person who is involved in the selection process in their school. • Tell school officials that they will receive a mailing in December titled: Guidance Counselors & Social Studies Chairperson and that it will include a Tri-Fold Brochure like the one you received earlier. Ask that they please forward the information to the person involved in the selection process. Also ask when the selection process in the school will begin. • Tell school officials how many boys you will sponsor to Badger Boys State from each school. Posts/Sponsors traditionally play different roles in the selection process. That procedure is between you and the schools. • Ask them to select an alternate for each boy selected as many alternates were also selected to attend in the recent past. • Selection guidelines are in the Tri-fold brochure which includes …”boys must have completed their junior year in a Wisconsin High School”, and “have at least a semester remaining of their senior year.” Good academics and leadership potential are also to be considered. • Also tell them that once they have the names of boys and alternates that you will bring them a Registration Card for each boy selected and an Alternate Registration Card for any alternates. • Ask them to visit our BBS Website www.badgerboysstate.com

5. ONCE YOU HAVE THE REGISTRATION AND ALTERNATE CARDS… • Take the cards to the high school and explain that each boy selected fills out a Registration Card and it must be completed including the consent for Medical Treatment on the back side. Incomplete information will only slow the registration process. • The completed registration card is the boys commitment to attend the full session. • Once you have the completed registration and alternate cards return them to the BBS secretary at our Portage Headquarters address. • The BBS secretary records the names into our data base and then prepares for the mailing of a Citizens Letter, a Parent/Guardian Letter, a Ripon Campus Map, automobile information, a BBS Store announcement and a few other pieces including orientation information in a mass mailing. • Keep in contact with your boys including the alternates who may also get the opportunity to attend. • Attend an orientation with the boys in your area it is a good opportunity to really learn about the total program. • Again, our website is a user friendly one visit often at www.badgerboysstate.com • Check on the boys transportation and remember some Posts organize a bus for several different area schools. • When in doubt contact the BBS Program Coordinator at Legion Headquarters 608-745-1090 or angela@legion.org.

6. SOME CONTACT NUMBERS • Portage Headquarters prior to June 9, 2011 608-745-1090 • BBS Headquarters at Ripon College June 9-18, 2011 Day phone 920-748-7856 7:00AM to 9:00PM • BBS Emergency Night phone 920-748-7864 • Ripon Session only mailing address • Badger Boys State The American Legion Ripon College PO Box 748 Ripon, WI 54971

7. A WEEK TO LAST A LIFETIME • Thank you for your part in making this once in a lifetime experience possible for the young men from your area to attend one of the finest Boys State Programs in the country. They will arrive as strangers among over 850 of our high schools most gifted and talented youth and leave with many new friends • They will spend 8 days on a college campus, live in a dorm, eat in a college cafeteria, have access to the entire campus including athletic facilities. They will hear motivational speakers, attend sessions of their choice such as Law School, Ecology, Public Speaking, Leadership, Lobbying Techniques, seminars on Principles or Persuasion, Political Party Organization, Legislative Process & Techniques, Public Relation Techniques and more. • On Friday we have a College Fair with all major state colleges and universities attending along with all of our military branches represented. • They will make lifelong friends and begin developing a networks of contacts with those who will be leaders in every profession, medicine, law, business, industry, education and every level of government from local to Washington, D.C. • You have helped make this possible. Thank you for your service to the youth of your area and to this American Legion program. • Russell Hanseter Chairman of Board BBS Inc.

8. YOUR BBS WEBSITE The Badger Boys State Website has undergone major changes since our last session. Visit the site at www.badgerboysstate.com it is user friendly including the information leading up to the session, gives you an overview of the entire program and has pictures from many previous sessions.

9. SELECTION CRITERIA • The procedure for selection of boys to attend Badger Boys State are as varied as there are sponsors. Most sponsors have the school prepare a list of those meeting the basic criteria; …”must have just completed their junior year in a Wisconsin high school and have at least one semester of their senior year remaining, each boy must be sponsored by an organization or individual that pays all sponsorship fees, it is suggested they be selected from the upper third of the class and have leadership potential.” Then sponsors may select from that list, In other cases the school selects from the pool of eligible boys and submits to the sponsors for approval. Work out a procedure with your school and Post officials. • Whichever method your Post uses make sure that the Post is aware of the procedure and that you have their support. Boys State is a Program of the American Legion and in many cases other organizations and individuals pay the annual fee. Make sure that the boy/boys selected understand that they are expected to report back to their sponsors to relate their experience while attending Badger Boys State. • Any questions contact the Director of Badger Boys State through Legion Headquarters. Prepared by Russ Hanseter Chr. Of Bd. BBS Inc.

10. NEW THIS SESSION • Once a boy has been selected and the name submitted to BBS Headquarters they will be assigned a unique “password” and “Tracking Number”. The boys still complete an individual 2011 “Registration Card” from the sponsor or high school representative. There are two kinds of cards—one for a primary delegate and one for an alternate delegate. The primary delegate is assured a spot at BBS and the alternate fills the spot if the primary can’t attend. It is important, however, that the alternate completes the registration process so that an opening can be filled quickly should one arise. They can determine which kind of card they have received (primary or alternate) by which of these is circled on the card. Their card must be signed by a high school official and the legal guardian of the boy. • The “password” and “Tracking Number” are used for our new “OnLine Registration”. The online registration will be completed by the parent or guardian. All instructions as to how to complete the registration are included on the card. We are requiring online data entry to ensure data accuracy. • As a Post Chairman you may want to go to our website and view the forms. Go to www.badgerboysstate.com in the left column click on Multimedia, go to Other Presentations the Chairman’s Guide and click on Power Point.