Participants in this year’s Illinois Premier Boys State are settled in at Eastern and ready to learn about the inner workings of city, state and local government.

The Illinois Premier Boys State is sponsored by the American Legion.  About 500 to 600 juniors from high schools from around Illinois moved in on Saturday to participate in this year’s session.

Director Jeff Brown said during the program students participate in mock elections for state, county and local officials.

These positions include mayor and city manager as well as the state offices of governor and lieutenant governor.

The boys’ day-to-day schedule consists of learning about the different forms of government in the morning and then acting those levels of government out.

In the afternoon, participants act as members of the  State Senate and House of Representatives.

Members of Illinois’ General Assembly or state and county government official will also speak with the students and give a seminar on what it is like to be in government.

AJ Fournier can be reached at 581-2812 or ajfournier@eiu.edu