Chippewa Valley Times

This week, Will Bevers is volunteering as a staff member for Badger Boys State, which is hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the fourth consecutive year. Bevers, originally from Stevens Point, shares his experience: “I was a high school participant in BBS, and this is my second time working for the program.” He emphasizes the importance of returning to give back to a program that positively impacted his personal and student success.

Badger Boys State is a civic leadership initiative designed for Wisconsin students entering their senior year of high school. These students are nominated by their teachers based on character, leadership, and good citizenship. Since 2022, UW-Eau Claire has hosted between 800-900 participants each June after earning the bid in 2021.

Bevers serves as an "assistant city counselor" at BBS. He explains that the program promotes civic engagement through simulations of government activities at various levels without involving actual American politics. “Everything is based on a two-party system," Bevers notes. "We keep real-world political issues off limits."

Throughout the week-long event, students participate in town halls and elections while learning communication and public speaking skills. Bevers highlights the personal growth attendees experience: “Growth in confidence is the biggest return we see in students.”

The partnership with UW-Eau Claire not only supports Badger Boys State but also introduces high school students to the campus environment. Bevers reflects on his own experience: “BBS was one of my first experiences at UWEC and it helped me to realize how much I enjoyed living on this campus.”

Josh Bach-Hanson, another volunteer and special assistant in enrollment management at UW-Eau Claire, acknowledges counselors like Bevers as crucial to BBS's success. He states: “Nearly all staff who volunteer were once Boys State attendees themselves." Bach-Hanson adds that new counselors lead meaningful conversations with future leaders.