Frequently Asked Questions
General information
If you’re interested in Massachusetts Boys State, you’re in good company. The process of becoming a Massachusetts Boys Stater on this website and many common questions on the process are below. If you’re a student applicant, a parent of a prospective Boys Stater, a school teacher or administrator, or a Legionnaire representing yourself or an American Legion Post, we have answers for you about what’s expected to apply and register for Massachusetts Boys State.
Students
Q: How do I apply for Massachusetts Boys State?
A: You will be asked to submit the application with your information, a short response to what Boys State will mean to you, and request a reference from a teacher or guidance counselor at your school. This reference should be someone who knows you well enough to speak to your academic and leadership experience and can vouch for your abilities to succeed at Massachusetts Boys State.
Q: What makes a strong applicant to Massachusetts Boys State?
A: Successful Boys Staters come from all walks of life. People like President Bill Clinton, musician Jon Bon Jovi, and even NBA star Michael Jordan have all attended Boys State. What they all have in common is strong academic credentials, proven ability to lead, and a willingness to listen. Boys Staters are all high achievers with different goals at the program but those who get the most from the program bring as much humility and drive to reach consensus with their peers to the table.
Parents
Q: Does it cost anything to attend Massachusetts Boys State?
A: Our goal is to pay for each Boys Stater’s tuition to the program either through the student’s local American Legion Post, the Massachusetts Boys State and Girls State Foundation, funds through a local school or town, or in some cases a sponsor.
Q: Can my child leave the program and come back?
A: If your child has a sporting event, musical performance, or another important commitment they can’t miss while they’re at Boys State, they can be excused with written permission from Chairman Mark Avis. Your child will need to meet you at the program office, check out with the Chairman and his counselors, and then check back in when he returns with the same individuals. The safety and welfare of every Boys Stater is our top priority which includes knowing the location of each at all times while at the program.
It’s important to note that Boys State is well structured and moves quickly. If your child intends on running for some kind of elected office while at Boys State, missing the program for even a few hours can make him ineligible if missing the nomination, convention, or election. He will still get a great experience from his week at Boys State, but might miss the opportunity to seek the office he wishes to hold.
Q: My child has food allergies and dietary restrictions. Are accommodations able to be made?
A: Yes. Massachusetts Boys State is hosted at Stonehill College and we eat at their dining commons for every meal. We will work with our partners at Stonehill College to ensure there are adequate, nutritious, and enjoyable options while he’s with us for the week.
School Administrators and Teachers
Q: A student asked my recommendation for them to attend Massachusetts Boys State. What do I do?
A: The easiest thing to do is to work with the student on their application and provide them with your school email address. We will reach out to you directly letting you know that a student has used you as a reference for their application to the program. All we ask is that you are honest in your response. The student will not be on the email for the sake of anonymity and honesty so you are encouraged to share your experiences with the student about why they are hopefully a good fit for the program and to represent your school and community at Boys State. You’re encouraged to share about your students’ academic and leadership achievements as well as anecdotes and stories about what makes them stick out to you as a good candidate.
Q: Massachusetts Boys State is during our students’ finals period. What do we do?
A: This is a common question with a variety of answers. Most every time it is the decision of the school and teachers how to administer finals if a student misses them while participating in Boys State. It’s common for schools to have students take their finals before or after the Boys State program. In some cases, if the student is excelling in their courses, schools and teachers will waive the finals requirement for the student as it’s a privilege to represent his school and community at Boys State. But the final decision rests with the schools and their teachers.
Boys State welcomes students from all walks of life from cities and towns across the commonwealth. If you’d like to be connected with a neighboring school to find out what they’re doing for finals, please email info@maboysstate.org to help make a connection if needed.
Q: What if we want to send more than one student or more than those allotted to our community via school funds and our Local Legion Post?
A: Please email info@maboysstate.org. It’s common for schools to have more than one applicant that’s a strong candidate to attend the program. In that case, we will work with you, your local American Legion Post, and the Massachusetts Boys State Girls State Foundation to see if other accommodations can be made.
Legion Posts
Q: We have funds to sponsor a boy to attend Massachusetts Boys State. Who do we tell?
A: See Page How to Sponsor Students. The commitment of local American Legion Posts is vital to our program continuing in perpetuity. You will be asked how many boys you’d be willing to sponsor, from what school and town, or if you’d like to make a sponsorship for another boy from anywhere in the commonwealth to attend.
Q: Our Post has a boy already chosen through our own process we’d like to attend boys state. How do we get him to the program?
A: See Page How to Sponsor Students. American Legion Posts have differing levels of activity when it comes to recruiting boys to the program. Please let us know his name by completing the form and we’ll take it from here. If we have questions, we will follow up via email to ensure everything is squared away for him to attend.
Q: Our Post is new to the Massachusetts Boys State program or it’s been a long time since we’ve sponsored a boy to the program. Can I get more information?
A: Absolutely! Please email info@maboysstate.org and we will get you in contact with our Program Chairman, Mark Avis, about how to get involved.
Q: Can I and members of my Post attend Massachusetts Boys State to see what the program is all about?
A: Yes. You’re welcome to attend ceremonies for Department of Massachusetts Night on Sunday evening and the join inauguration with American Legion Auxiliary Massachusetts Girls State on Wednesday evening. If you intend on attending outside of those events, please contact info@maboysstate.org as we will need you to complete a background check. This is standard practice for the American Legion and all of its youth programs.
Q. What is Massachusetts Boys State?
A. The Massachusetts Boys State program has been teaching the fundamentals of citizenship for over 80 years. Approximately 250 boys attend every year, and they are housed, fed and instructed for the entire week at Stonehill College in Easton, MA. Counselors assigned to each “city” or “town,” which consist of groups of 20 to 25 boys. The counselors lead the classes described in the program book, and reside with them in the same section of dormitories.
Q. Where is Boys State?
A. Our host campus for the week of Boys State is Stonehill College, located in North Easton, Massachusetts. Recognizing that this may be the first glimpse of college campus life afforded to students, Boys State has chosen Stonehill College for its first-class campus and facilities, which provide a fine example for students and parents as they begin the college selection process.
Q. Who runs Boys State?
A. The American Legion produces Boys State each year, along with the assistance of dozens of volunteers – most of them former Boys State citizens. The staff oversees the curriculum, presides over debates, umpires sports, monitors elections, and maintains the daily order of the program. They are college and graduate students, attorneys, education professionals, investment advisors, accountants, teachers, economists, and business people of many disciplines, all volunteering their time to give back what Boys State provided them.
Q. When is Boys State?
The 2025 Massachusetts Boys State Program will be held from Saturday June 14, 2025 to Friday June 20 2025. This week was specifically chosen so that it would coordinate well with the schedule for final exams of most Massachusetts high schools.
Q. Are participants allow to drive to the program?
A. They may drive themselves to Stonehill College, but must turn in the car keys at check-in. Car keys will be return to them at the end of the program.
Q. Are participants allow to bring their mobile phone?
A. Participants are allowed to bring mobile phones, but may not use them during classes and other activities. Unless otherwise instructed for learning purpose.