Every summer juniors from all over the state can participate in what is called Boys and Girls State. The whole idea is to learn more about Maine’s Legislature. The American Legion supports Boys and Girls State.

What if a smaller town doesn’t have a legion post? We don’t get to go?

I live in Wales and we don’t have a post so I don’t get to go to Girls State.

The guidance counselor from my school explained to me that the Sabattus Legion might find sponsors to pay for girls from Wales to be Sabattus alternates. (The Sabattus Auxiliary funds boys from Wales to be Sabattus alternates.) This, to me, isn’t good enough.

I realize there isn’t much the legions from Sabattus and Litchfield can do. If they don’t have the funding, they don’t.

It isn’t fair that Sabattus and Litchfield get to send delegates and Wales gets the alternate positions. Why can’t we send students from Oak Hill instead of students from Sabattus and Litchfield?

I believe the legions should give permission for Wales juniors to find our own sponsors to pay for Boys and Girls State as delegates from Wales. I also believe this should be the rule until Wales becomes a big enough town to have our own American Legion.

I hope in the future Wales juniors don’t get short-changed because the town does not have an American Legion post.

Samantha N. Mason, Wales