89th Annual Alabama Boys State

By: Zach Rains, Class of 2027

This May, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the 89th annual Alabama Boys State Program. The camp took place on the campus of the University of Alabama. Boys State is a selective program where you learn about civics, state government, and ultimately leadership. You are able to run for and elect delegates to statewide, county, and city government positions, making it a hands‑on simulation of the real world. Little did I know that I had been selected to attend and represent Saint James in one of the most prestigious programs in the country.

When you arrive, you are placed into one of ten cities, which are then grouped into counties. Our first objective in our cities was to elect a mayor and a few other officials, such as city councilmen. Getting to know the other delegates in your city, as well as your roommates, was crucial because you spend a lot of time with them. My city was City 1, the City of Harper. All cities were named after monumental figures who impacted the Alabama Boys State program and later the state of Alabama. Throughout the week, we listened to several great speakers and leaders in our state, including Colonel Mark Valentine.

The first few days were challenging. It was all about getting acclimated to everything being thrown at you, like meeting the people around you to build friendships and social networks, figuring out what position you wanted to run for, and preparing your speech and campaign. We were soon divided into our political parties. Within our parties, we voted on who we wanted to run in the state election, planned our platforms and policies, and even held support rallies to hype everyone up for a successful election. I wanted to aim high, so I ran for a statewide position of Associate Judge for the Court of Criminal Appeals, and was graciously elected.

After the elections, depending on what you were elected to, you were placed into interest groups. Since I was one of the state judges, I joined the judiciary/court interest group. In my group, we participated in a mock trial, where I served as a witness in a murder case. Toward the end of the week, we took a trip to Montgomery and toured the Capitol building and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. After the tour, we split into our interest groups again. My group visited the Alabama Supreme Court building and participated in a mock appeal, where I was honored to serve as a lawyer.

At Boys State, I learned the importance of being a good citizen and voting for people you can count on. But the most important lesson I learned was the value of the friendships I made along the way. Leadership was built, and community was created. It was truly an honorable and outstanding experience to be part of this program.

“At the end of everything, you will be left with exactly three things: the friends you made, the stories you lived, and the family you built.”

#wearesaintjamesschool