Lack of leadership positions beginning of High School

Ryanaldo43

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I am really interested in West Point, and I am currently trying to get into more leadership positions in high school (I am a junior). However, I have not been in many leadership positions throughout the entirety of high school. I have been team captain of my travel team for many years now, but I did not hold any officer positions my freshmen, sophomore, or beginning of junior year. Lately I have been getting more involved, I am now in Student Government, have found some volunteer places that I am really passionate about, and I am trying to start a club at school to do more volunteer work regarding what I have been doing. However, I am not sure if administration will let me start the club as it is getting close to the end of the school year. How big of an effect will my lack of leadership positions in the beginning of highschool/ beginning of junior year have on my application? Congressional nomination packets are just now being released, so I am waiting a little bit until I have accomplished more in Student Government and through volunteer work until I submit them.
 
try to get into Boys State assuming you are a male. WP weighs it heavily.
I do not understand why WP would encourage Boys State. I thought boys state was meant to steer young people into political careers, the art of compromise, how to win influential friends ... ...i would think boys state is the antithesis of USMA....."We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm" - sound like USMA? yah. boys state? don't think so....
 
You aren't the only one scratching your head at the emphasis given to it by the boards. Apparently it ranks higher than being an Eagle Scout.o_O
 
^^ Boys State is valued by WP because of the leadership aspects of Boys State. You get points for Boys State in the leadership portion of the application.
I don't know the points value for Boys State or Eagle Scout, but I have never been given the impression that one was more important than the other. WP values both.
 
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^^ Boys State is valued by WP because of the leadership aspects of Boys State. You gets points for Boys State in the leadership portion of the application.
I don't know the points value for Boys State or Eagle Scout, but I have never been given the impression that one was more important than the other. WP values both.
Perfectly said and I agree! This is exactly what my WP grad's MALO told him years ago....."West Point values Boys' State as much as Eagle Scout." NOT "West Point thinks going to Boys' State is the same thing as being an Eagle Scout." :bang:
 
I am really interested in West Point, and I am currently trying to get into more leadership positions in high school (I am a junior). However, I have not been in many leadership positions throughout the entirety of high school. I have been team captain of my travel team for many years now, but I did not hold any officer positions my freshmen, sophomore, or beginning of junior year. Lately I have been getting more involved, I am now in Student Government, have found some volunteer places that I am really passionate about, and I am trying to start a club at school to do more volunteer work regarding what I have been doing. However, I am not sure if administration will let me start the club as it is getting close to the end of the school year. How big of an effect will my lack of leadership positions in the beginning of highschool/ beginning of junior year have on my application? Congressional nomination packets are just now being released, so I am waiting a little bit until I have accomplished more in Student Government and through volunteer work until I submit them.
Being a team captain for a travel team junior year is leadership;) Most leadership positions are given to juniors & seniors. Maybe if you are in a club try to run for a position or ask the teacher if you can be co president or co captain? Explain you are apply to SA. Study hard junior year, do well on your interviews, essays, SAT/ACT. Starting up a club might be too time consuming? I would focus on what I already have & do well;)
 
I do not understand why WP would encourage Boys State. I thought boys state was meant to steer young people into political careers, the art of compromise, how to win influential friends ... ...i would think boys state is the antithesis of USMA....."We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm" - sound like USMA? yah. boys state? don't think so....


Boys State is a civic responsibility program started by the American Legion in the 1930s. It is meant to develop young men identified in their community as leaders by the schools and Legion posts and expose them to the idea of civic involvement. That is right in line with military values like Selfless Service or Service before Self. The counselors who facilitate the program are usually legion members (by default veterans). I served as a counselor as well as a cadet and we had a host of cadets from SAs and SMCs who volunteered time in the summer. The emphasis isn't partisan though there is exposure to state government leaders at ever y level. It is an excellent program which allows the academy to identify leaders and expose them to the benefits of military service.

I still stay in touch with two of my VMI classmates who I met attending Boys State. I know of at least one more classmate we had there who got a lot from the program but we lost him in Afghanistan six years and five days ago.
 
Boys State is a civic responsibility program started by the American Legion in the 1930s. It is meant to develop young men identified in their community as leaders by the schools and Legion posts and expose them to the idea of civic involvement. That is right in line with military values like Selfless Service or Service before Self. The counselors who facilitate the program are usually legion members (by default veterans). I served as a counselor as well as a cadet and we had a host of cadets from SAs and SMCs who volunteered time in the summer. The emphasis isn't partisan though there is exposure to state government leaders at ever y level. It is an excellent program which allows the academy to identify leaders and expose them to the benefits of military service.

I still stay in touch with two of my VMI classmates who I met attending Boys State. I know of at least one more classmate we had there who got a lot from the program but we lost him in Afghanistan six years and five days ago.
very good to hear your perspective. I have great respect for the American Legion.
DS had zero interest in attending Boys State, partly because it interfered with baseball season, and partly because at his school, and surrounding schools, those who applied, and thus selected, were the ones most likely to lead with their mouth, and were couch potatoes. When I look at the list of alumni of boys state - for our state - I am immediately impressed how my expectations were confirmed - I see a string of pillsbury doughboy politicians.

Recognizing this concept as a link to USMA is unsettling to me in that DS does not fit that mold at all....
 
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