ANNA — The American Legion Heiland Post 446 of Anna announced recently that Anthony Billing was delegated to attend the Buckeye Boys State program, which began this past weekend. The program will run through June 16.

Billing, a senior-to-be at Anna High School, is the son of Jason and Sharon Billing, of Anna.

The American Legion Buckeye Boys State is an eight-day “hands on” experience in the operation of the democratic form of government, the organization of political parties, and the relationship of one to another in shaping Ohio government.

Through the Boys State goal of “learning by doing,” young men have the opportunity to learn about city, county, and state government through a non-partisan, objective educational approach.

This year’s program is being held at Miami University in Oxford.

The American Legion Heiland Post 446 also announced Jessica Colby as a delegate to this year’s Buckeye Girls State Program, which is set to begin on Sunday, June 16.

Colby, a senior-to-be at Russia Local Schools, will be among the nearly 900 girls participating in the 73rd annual session of Buckeye Girls State, at the University of Mount Union. The program will run through June 22.

The main objective of the Buckeye Girls State program is to train young women, who have completed their junior year of high school, in the duties, rights, and privileges of citizenship by providing the attendees the opportunity to actively participate in a democratic form of goverment.

As the girls arrive at Girls State, they are assigned to one of two political parties. The residence hall in which they live during the program is their designated county and the floor on which they live in their city.

The students will file petitions for candidacy for a variety of offices, from governor to city council, and participate in the election process. After elections and inaugurations, they will put government in action.