NORWAY – Six young adults from the Norway area will be getting experience in government work this June when they attend the annual Boys State and Girls State programs.

The Boys State program will be held at the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.

The Girls State program will be at Husson College in Bangor.

Both programs are sponsored by the American Legion.

Robert Sessions, Americanism Officer at Post 82, said the teens will experience mock governments at the town, state and national levels.

“The purpose of Boys State is to provide Maine high school juniors with the opportunity to participate in a program that supplements their high school courses in government and its functions,” Sessions said.

He said that last year about 400 juniors went to Boys State, and this year the legions were trying to get 500 to attend.

“My grandmother went,” said Bailey Hollowell, 17. “She told me stories and I want to learn more about our government.”

Savannah Sessions, 17, said she learned about the value of attending the governmental conferences from her grandfather, who is a member of the Legion.

The boys chosen are Kyle Ingram, Jared Maher and Gregory Hutchinson. The alternates are Drew Ayotte, Aaron Billion and Alan Knapik.

The girls selected are Kristi Dugas, Bailey Hollowell and Savannah Sessions. The alternates are Chelsea Brown, Sofrona Governale and Jamie Jones.

All boys and girls are juniors and all are from Norway. The boys are sponsored by the members of the Post 82 Stone-Smart American Legion and the girls are sponsored by the Women’s Auxilliary there.

jsmedley@sunjournal.com