June 12, 2025
From The Office of
WV Secretary of State Kris Warner
Recently elected student leaders from Boys State and Girls State to meet today at the State Capitol
Charleston, W.Va. – The 86th-annual Mountaineer Boys State (hosted by the American Legion – WV) is being held this week at Jackson’s Mill in Lewis County. Rhododendron Girls State (hosted by the American Legion Auxiliary) is taking place at Davis & Elkins College.
Boys State and Girls State is a national student leadership program designed to introduce students to their local, state, and federal government. Students selected to participate in the program come together for a week to learn about the importance of citizen participation in their government. The highlight of that experience is a mock election with students divided into two separate political parties—the Nationalists and the Federalists.
230 young men are attending Boys State this year. 200 young ladies were selected to attend Girls State. All of the students selected to attend either camp will be high school seniors this fall.
Yesterday, students at both camps elected their Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor, Attorney General, and Commissioner of Agriculture. They also elected members of their State Senate, House of Delegates, and Supreme Court.
For only the third time in the program’s 86-year history, student leaders from both camps will visit Charleston today to attend a special joint session at the State Capitol. During their visit starting at 10:30am, the student Governors and Boards of Public Works will meet in the Governor’s Conference Room located in the WV Secretary of State’s Office.
Starting at 10:30am, students elected to serve as Boys State and Girls State Delegates will meet in the House of Delegates Chamber in the State Capitol. Student Senators will meet in the Senate Chamber. Students elected to serve on their Supreme Court will visit the WV Supreme Court Chamber.
At 12:00pm today, all of the student leaders will come together for the first time to enjoy a box lunch compliments of Marshall University. The lunch will take place in the rotunda in front of the House Chamber.
A group photo will be taken in the House Chamber at 12:45pm.
At 1:00pm, the official Boys State-Girls State Joint Session will take place in the House Chamber. The Joint Session is formatted much like the House Chamber when it hosts the Governor’s State of the State Address.
WV Secretary of State Kris Warner will offer the official welcome during the Joint Session. Marshall University First Lady Alys Smith will be this year’s keynote speaker.
Members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend any or all of the events listed above. Interviews with the students, with the American Legion leaders, Secretary Warner, and Alys Smith are welcomed.
Please feel free to contact us to help coordinate interviews.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Diane Nester
Assistant Director of Communications
Cell: 681-799-7616
dnester@wvsos.gov
