UC American Legion Posts Looking For Boys State Sponsors

The White County American Legion Post is searching for sponsors for this year’s Boys State.

Chairman Jason Murphy said sponsors support high school seniors see first hand how government works.

“There is an immediate need with some Upper Cumberland potential delegates where their local post just doesn’t have the money, because everything we have gone through the last year,” Murphy said. “Fundraising has been a nightmare if not impossible.”

Murphy said this year’s event will be virtual, so the price has been marked down. Murphy said Cookeville’s American Legion has enough funding, but the post is looking to bring in more delegates.

“We’re looking for anyone that is willing to help someone, a student somewhere throughout the Upper Cumberland area, the Highland Rim, Middle Tennessee area,” Murphy said. “And if you don’t care where your money goes, maybe there is a student in Kingsport or in Memphis that still needs help with sponsorship.”

Murphy said so far, about 320 delegates are a part of the virtual event with about 60 coming from the Upper Cumberland. Murphy said sponsorship money that is not used this year gets saved for next Boys State program.

“We have to do fundraising programs year round to put through the 60,70, 100 delegates that are brought fourth to Tennessee Tech just in the Upper Cumberland alone,” Murphy said. “The program statewide brings in normally 400-600 state delegates.”

Murphy said the is usually held at Tennessee Tech, where young students stay for the week and create their own working government. Murphy said whoever is elected Governor gains a free ride to Tennessee Tech.