Iolans Mia Aronson, from left, Emmie Brant, Kassy Shelby, Jennifer Tidd and Katie Weide, participated June 3-8 at the Sunflower Girls State Academy at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Iolans Jeremy Waldman, from left, Jon Miller and Cole Regehr served as delegates of the 2018 American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy, held the same week at Kansas State University in Manhattan. The weeklong program gives participants a hands-on approach to city, county and state governance, with each participant given a mock title. Guest speakers at Girls State included Judge G. Joseph Pierron of the Kansas Court of Appeals, Dr. Barbara Ballard, a state representative, and Melissa Burton, American Legion Auxiliary department president. Several speakers also addressed the male delegates including Justin Galyon, head mens basketball coach at Hesston College, Ben Honeycutt, founder of Open World Cause, Kansas State. Rep. Sheele Brim and Todd Moore, a 1988 Boys State delegate and project director at UMKC. COURTESY PHOTOS
Girls and Boys State
