Rockwood Students Make the Most of their Boys, Girls State Experiences

More than 30 Rockwood School District students participated in a hands-on, weeklong experience of leadership, citizenship and democracy at the Missouri Boys State and Missouri Girls State programs. 

Missouri Boys State, sponsored by the American Legion, and Missouri Girls State, sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary, were both held at Lindenwood University during the last week of June.

Both programs, which have been held annually for more than 80 years in Missouri, are open to rising high school seniors who are chosen through an application and interview process. Candidates are evaluated for participation based on traits such as leadership abilities, interest in government, service to others and academics.

During the weeklong Boys State and Girls State sessions, participants utilize the democratic system as a basis to form their own state, teaching the value of public office, the strength of the individual voice and the importance of voting. Participants hear from notable speakers throughout the week and hold elections to choose representatives at the city, county and state level.

A total of 19 Rockwood students from all four high schools participated in Boys State this year, and 12 Rockwood students from three district high schools participated in Girls State. Out of those 31 students, 13 earned election to a city or county office during their sessions and one -- Rockwood Summit's Ridwan Osman -- was elected state lieutenant governor. Osman also won Citizen of the Week - 2nd Alternate.

Here are the Rockwood students who participated, along with their elected positions.

Boys State

• Stephan Bosnjak, Marquette
• Colin Brookhyser, Marquette
• Jonathan Buss, Rockwood Summit (county associate circuit judge)
• Kenneth Diekmann, Eureka
• Sam Dippel, Marquette
• Eli Ferguson, Marquette
• Nikhil Guduri, Marquette (city senator)
• Kadin Hadzic, Lafayette
• Tejus Krishnan, Rockwood Summit (city councilman)
• Asher Leonard, Eureka (county circuit judge)
• Michael McAuliffe, Eureka
• David Moss, Marquette
• Michael Niblett, Lafayette
• Ridwan Osman, Rockwood Summit (state lieutenant governor)
• Aditya Pall, Lafayette (city councilman)
• Nicholas Ruggeri, Rockwood Summit (city senator)
• Samuel Scheer, Rockwood Summit
• Michael Scott, Rockwood Summit
• Carl Taraporevala, Marquette (county commissioner)

Girls State

• Liliana Balanay, Eureka (county school board)
• Joslyn Bogner, Marquette 
• Allie Cross, Rockwood Summit (county senator)
• Miya Forrester, Rockwood Summit
• Apurva Ganti, Marquette 
• Adrianna Hoeper, Rockwood Summit
• Emaline Little, Marquette
• Lauren Nickel, Marquette (county representative)
• Willow Powell, Rockwood Summit 
• Anvi Talyan, Marquette (county representative)
• Meghan Walker, Eureka
• Addison White, Rockwood Summit (city councilwoman)