Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- For the third consecutive year, Mississippi State University will welcome more than 350 rising high school seniors from across the Magnolia State to learn about state and local government and the electoral process Sunday through Saturday [May 24-30].
Since 1939, Mississippi American Legion Boys State has served as the nation's premier program for teaching young men how government works, developing leadership skills and nurturing an appreciation for the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Participants will hear from a diverse group of political and government leaders in historic Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium. This year's speaker schedule includes:
Sunday, May 24
--Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman, 7 p.m.
Monday, May 25
-- Gov. Phil Bryant, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, May 26
--State Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney, 10:30 a.m.
--State Treasurer Lynn Fitch, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, May 27
--Attorney General Jim Hood, 11 a.m.
--State Auditor Stacey Pickering, 5 p.m.
Thursday, May 28
--Major Andrew Yang of the United States Military Academy at West Point, 9 a.m.
--Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley, 5 p.m.
Friday, May 29
--Former State Legislator Tim Johnson, 10 a.m.
--Columbus City Prosecutor Scott Colom, 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 30
--Lt. Johnny Poulos of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, 8 a.m.
In addition to government and electoral issues, participants will have opportunities to compete in sports, quiz bowl and a talent show.
MSU is serving as host campus for the program that provides more than $100,000 in scholarships.
Complete details on the 2015 session are available at www.msboysstate.com.
MSU is the state's flagship research institution, available online at msstate.edu, meridian.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate, pinterest.com/msstate and twitter.com/msstate, using hashtag #WeRingTrue.