Johanneson represents Tea Area at SD Boys State

Tea Area High School student Jaxon Johanneson (pictured at right) was among 130 young men selected from across South Dakota to participate in the 83rd Annual South Dakota Boys State, held May 25-29 on the campus of Northern State University in Aberdeen.

Sponsored by the South Dakota American Legion, Boys State is a premier leadership and citizenship program designed to give high school students firsthand experience in the workings of local and state government. This year’s program brought together students representing 63 communities from across the state.

During the weeklong program, Johanneson took an active role in the mock government, earning several notable accomplishments. He successfully passed the Boys State Bar Exam, was elected to serve as a State Representative in the House, and campaigned for the offices of Mayor of Baltimore and Governor of South Dakota.

Johanneson said his path to Boys State began with a simple conversation at school.

“For me it was pretty easy to get selected to attend,” he said. “I just asked my counselor about it, as I had older friends that went, and she gave me the application and that was kind of it.”

One of the highlights of the week, Johanneson said, was watching candidates debate during the gubernatorial race.

“The event that stood out to me most was the gubernatorial debate near the end of the conference, as it allowed the parties to talk on real-world issues, but also have a little fun,” he said.

The experience also gave him a deeper appreciation for how government functions.

“I learned that government and civic leadership is really not a single-player sport,” Johanneson said. “It requires a lot of different people working together to get things done.”

Beyond the lessons in government, Johanneson said the friendships he formed with students from across the state made the experience especially memorable.

“The best part of the whole event was meeting the people from all over South Dakota, and even with different backgrounds, we still got together and had a lot of fun,” he said.

Johanneson encourages future students to apply, regardless of whether they have an interest in politics.

“I would highly recommend Boys State to all students, even if you’re not interested in politics,” he said. “It gives you a real closer look at what happens in our world every single day.”

Founded in 1940, South Dakota Boys State is modeled after the national American Legion Boys State program, which began in 1935. Participants are assigned to fictional political parties and spend the week creating city, county and state governments while learning about the responsibilities of citizenship, leadership and public service.

The program’s mission is to help young people gain a better understanding of the American system of government while developing leadership skills and an appreciation for civic engagement.