2010 Program Resources


Boys State Mini-Courses
Modern Statistical Analysis in Sports
What started off as a method used by few and was later popularized in Michael Lewis’ bestseller Moneyball, SABRmetrics is a term that is used to describe the use of alternative statistics in evaluating baseball players. Now more than ever executives in all sports are searching for an edge against their competition, and the use of these statistics has proven to be successful for many. This course will outline the basics, the origin, and the overflow into other sports of the numbers that changed professional athletics forever.
Politics 301: Power and Human Relationships
This course examines power, authority, responsibility, and influence. This course considers elective and appointive politics, organizational structure, attainable goals, and communications theory. Presentation looks at human character stressing the four I’s (intelligence, imagination, initiative, and integrity). Selflessness: views PBS show “American Valor” which is based on interviews with some recipients of the Medal of Honor.
Green Living

 
Breaking the Rules
Three men and a boy are stranded a on boat on the high seas, 1600 miles off the Cape of Good Hope. They have neither food nor water, except for a can of turnips and a turtle that they have caught. On the eighteenth day, long after the food is gone, one man slits the throat of the boy for the survival of the rest. They feast on his flesh, blood, and bones for four days until they are rescued. Are the men guilty of murder or does their necessity know no laws? Would it matter if the boy had agreed to be killed? Would it matter if they knew the boat was coming soon, but killed him anyways? Each day this course will examine troubling ethical dilemmas presented by real life cases. You will act as both judge and jury in these moral conundrums, coming to some resolution about the fate of each person. Topics will include grotesque killings, sports cheating, medical mishaps, bizarre sexual encounters, and more.
The Citizen
It was Thomas Jefferson who stated “were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” This course will focus on exercising the constitutional right to freedom of the press by publishing a daily newspaper, the Citizen. The paper will include news, sports, and editorial sections. There will also be opportunities to work with photo, layout, and design.
Employment of Air Power and Today’s Air Force
MSgt Ernest Smith, a 15-year veteran, will be leading a class that will study the employment of force from Air Force Aircraft. During this class there will be open and frank discussion about the use, and ability of our military forces. TSgt Greg Pauli, an Explosive Ordinance Disposal technician, will also be coming out to show how Improvised Explosive Devices are neutralized, and how oYour browser may not support display of this image.ld or unexploded munitions are disposed of. TSgt Pauli was recently awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for his actions as an EOD technician in the Middle East. There will also be discussion of recruiting for the military, what to look for and what to expect. Know what your recruiter is actually saying and how to be fully prepared for your possible future in the military. There will also be plenty of video of stuff blowing up.
An American Constitution
Have you ever wondered what our Constitution really says? If so, do you agree with the fine print? Do we need to change our Constitution? Are there certain amendments that are controversial? This course will go into depth about the Constitution of the United States. Lectures, discussions analyzing videos, and ongoing debates will be the main focus of this course.

Law Enforcement
A discussion of contemporary law enforcement issues.
Environmental Law and Policy
An introduction to emerging issues in environmental management and politics. We will first look at some of the historical, economical and cultural factors intertwined in modern environmentalism. Next, we will discuss how science and law intersect in dealing with conflicts such as the management of public land, urbanization and sprawl, global climate change, natural resource management and public health. The course will cover such aspects of the legal system as common law, constitutional litigation, agency regulations and creation and enforcement of international policy. We examine the Bush legacy, and the opportunity for advancements by the Obama administration. Finally, we will close with a discussion of practical solutions for the future.


The Boys State District Court
Each day during mini-courses, the Boys State Court will convene and hear both civil and misdemeanor criminal cases.