Josh Boykin had little interest for politics in high school – he liked to keep up with the main issues, but that was it.

But after Boykin, a junior English and economics major, was nominated to attend the American Legion’s Premier Boys State Camp at Eastern, his interest grew a little.

Boys State is a camp designed for high school boys to learn about politics and Saturday about 700 high school students from Illinois will begin their stay at Eastern for the weeklong camp.

Marty Justis, the American Legion director of Americanism and children and youth, said the purpose of the camp is to teach young men government from the local to national levels.

Boykin attended Boys State in 2005. He had heard about the camp in a class presentation, but didn’t think about going until he was nominated. “It’s always nice to be recognized,” Boykin said of the nomination.

He decided to go for the experience and said, “If nothing else it would look good on a college application.”

Boys State is held in all 50 states throughout June. Illinois was the first state to establish the camp in 1935, and it was held at the Springfield fairgrounds.

At Boys State, the camp is divided into representations of counties and cities, each group and subgroup made up of participating students.

This year, eight counties totaling 24 cities will be participating, with each comprising of no more than 30 boys, said Bill Bechtel,

Boys State registrar. Elections are then held for political positions like mayor, governor, city council and police chief within each group. “They create a fictitious state government and run it for a week,” Bechtel said.

Boykin was elected governor when he attended Boy State.

He said this helped him learn about the political process, which can be complex.

“Politics is a completely bizarre field in itself,” Boykin said.

Politics wasn’t all Boykin learned. The camp also gives the boys time for sports and an opportunity to organize their own band, but they are not allowed to leave campus.

“They do keep them busy so no one gets bored,” Bechtel said.

Boykin said he learned a lot about working with others and what he learned at Boys State stayed with him after he left the camp.

“There’s politics in everything you step into,” he said.

Boykin said it has helped him in dealing with people, in applying for jobs and in gaining a better understanding in politics.

Bechtel said meeting people that the boys wouldn’t normally see every day is one of the good things about the camp. The camp makes sure it divides the high school students up, so each county or has a balanced mix of boys.

“They are pretty much assured they will meet new kids,” Bechtel said. “City kids from Chicago meet the rural kids.”

Bechtel said if there is a case where two students from the same high school need to be together, they will make an exception.

Several years ago Boys State had an instance where someone who was diabetic asked to not be split up from his friend in case he needed help with his insulin.

After Boys State finishes, Boys Nation is held. Two boys from each of 49 State camps act as delegates to attend Boys Nation, where they attend lectures, forums and field trips to institutions, memorials and historical sites in the Washington, D.C. area.

Justis said Hawaii is the only state that does not pick delegates.

Boykin was one of Illinois’ two delegates, and he said this helped him learn so much more.

“You just get as much information as you can,” he said. “It was a really good experience.”

Boykin is now a counselor for the camp and has been since 2006. Counselors help the high school students with anything from the elections to sports.

All counselors had to have previously attended the camp, which Boykin thinks is almost necessary.

“I think it would be difficult if you didn’t attend, because it is such an unique camp,” he said.

Kristina Peters can be reached at 581-7942 or kmpeters2@eiu.edu.