Special to The Banner-News
Mac Cross of Magnolia from Magnolia High School was elected as Justice of the Peace for Womack County at Arkansas Boys State 2023, a summer leadership and civic engagement experience sponsored by the American Legion.
Cross was elected by his peers during county elections on Monday, May 29, as part of the 82nd annual session of Arkansas Boys State, where students build a mock government structure, including eight different mock counties each with their own county judge, vice county judge, county sheriff, and justices of the peace.
"Counties are the primary municipal structures at Arkansas Boys State - and they're what students identify with and rally around at the program - and will inevitably share with fellow alumni in years to come," said David Saterfield, director of instruction for Arkansas Boys State. "From here, Mac will represent the citizens in his county as they develop, navigate and advocate solutions to complex simulations and county problems throughout the week."
Cross is one of more than 470 students from throughout the state attending Arkansas Boys State at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Students are mock citizens in eight different counties, sixteen cities, and two political parties.
"Being elected to county office is such a remarkable honor for Mac because the counties are the cornerstone of the student identity at Arkansas Boys State," said David Saterfield, director of instruction for the program.
City elections were also held on Monday at Arkansas Boys State. On Tuesday, students will run for the House of Representatives and Senate and begin campaigning for statewide office.
Arkansas Boys State is an immersive program in civics education designed for high school juniors. Since 1940, the week-long summer program has transformed the next generation of
leaders throughout the state and beyond. These men have become state, national, and international leaders, including Pres. Bill Clinton, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former White House Chiefs of Staff Mack McLarty and Jack Watson Jr., Sen. Tom Cotton, Sen. John Boozman and Arkansas Chief Justice John Dan Kemp. Learn more at arboysstate.org.
During their week at Arkansas Boys State, delegates are assigned a political party, city, and county. Throughout the week, delegates, from the ground up, administer this mock government as if it were real: they run for office, draft and pass legislation, solve municipal challenges, and engage constituents. By the week's end, the delegates have experienced civic responsibility and engagement firsthand while making life-long memories and friends - all with our guiding principle that "Democracy Depends on Me."