This year’s delegates for the annual Boys State and Girls State were recently nominated. After an intensive interview process, juniors Kevin Fong and Molly Pines will be attending the week-long mock government seminars hosted over the summer by the American League and American League Auxiliary. Just under 500 high schools across the state send delegates to each seminar every year.

Last year’s delegates, seniors Brian Rath, Cole Rider, and Rachel Wilson, are eager to pass the torch to their successors. “Go into it open and willing to participate, because you get out of it what you put into it,” Rath encouraged the new delegates.

Delegate hopefuls are first nominated by school counselors and staff based on leadership qualities and achievements, including extracurricular activities and academic merits. Next, nominees must interview with a representative from the American League or the Auxiliary. Finally, this representative, who has no connection to Campolindo, chooses two delegates for Boys’ State and one delegate for Girls’ State.

“I guess it went well, because I got chosen,” Pines said of her interview.

Each State seminar requires the attendees to form governments on city, county, and state levels. Much of the process involves drafting legislation and running for political office.

The American League, composed of war veterans, hosts Boys’ State every year. This year, the convention’s 75th year in California, it will be held at Sacramento State.

Girls’ State is hosted by the Auxiliary, which is composed of people who are related to war veterans, at Claremont McKenna College in Southern California. This year will be it’s 69th anniversary in California.