
Tom Carmack, Owen Lynch
Anna Zmistowski, Nicole Boutaugh, Annina Breen
John Bapst Memorial High School Head Mel MacKay has announced the names of this year’s delegates to Dirigo Boys and Girls State. Selected to attend Girls State are Nicole Boutaugh, Annina Breen, and Anna Zmistowski. Selected to attend Boys State are Tom Carmack and Owen Lynch.
Dirigo Boys and Girls State provide Maine high school juniors with the opportunity to supplement their high school courses by participating in a program that immerses them in a study of government and its functions. In the program, students role-play as they learn to campaign for local, county, and state offices in mock government and then they organize and execute the functions of local and state governments.
Candidates at John Bapst must submit a written essay for consideration and be selected by the Social Sciences Department. Sponsors of Boys and Girls State delegates this year include the James W. Williams American Legion Post #12, the Bangor Breakfast Kiwanis, and the school’s Student Senate.
Social Sciences teacher Jason O’Reilly, who coordinates the Dirigo Boys and Girls State programs at John Bapst, explained recently that “the Boys and Girls State programs offer our students the opportunity to broaden their understanding of the functions of government and the duties and privileges of citizenship with other like-minded juniors from across the state. The week-long mock government experiences further enhance the school’s mission to foster a sense of respect for learning, for themselves, and for others.”
John Bapst is a non-denominational, college-preparatory, independent day and boarding school serving students in grades nine through twelve. This year’s student body represents over 30 Maine communities and several countries. For more information about John Bapst Memorial High School and its programs, visit the school’s web site at www.johnbapst.org.