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Sometimes our hard work is rewarded with an unexpected opportunity when we don’t realize that anyone even noticed. Jaquarius Billingsley, a senior at Lanett High School, was surprised but excited when he was chosen to represent the school at the Alabama Boys State sponsored by the American Legion this summer. 

When asked what he’s learned from the experience, Billingsley said, “If you get an opportunity, take it because you never know what’s going to happen.”

The week-long program is hosted on the Troy University campus and boys from all around the state gather to form cities, elect local and state officials and attend legislative sessions. The American Legion formed the program to train the country’s youth in “the ideals and objectives of American government,” according to Alabama Boys State website. 

At Boys State, students from all over Alabama gain hands-on experience and actively participate in a model state government, debating real-world issues and passing legislation. 

“I didn’t expect it to but it was good. It was very very good,” Billingsley said. “It gave me a little look at what it would be like living on the campus.” 

At Lanett High, Billingsley is an active student in activities. Last year, he served as class president and this year he will be treasurer for the student council. Being on the student council, Billingsley said, has taught him leadership skills. 

“We had gone to a leadership conference and it taught me a lot,” he said. “It made me look at things in a different way.”

He also serves as a student ambassador where he will help organize pep rallies and other student activities. 

He brought those teamwork skills to the Boys State, serving with the fire department in his mock city. 

At Troy, the boys were divided into smaller groups made into mock cities who had to vote for local government positions like city council and fire chief. Then they voted on statewide positions like the governor. 

“They divided us up into Nationals and Federalist and then we picked a governor, Secretary of State and we had debates about it,” Billingsley said. “It opened my eyes up about all of that,” Billingsley said they even got to tour the Montgomery fire station and talk to the fire chief. 

With 500 boys across the state all gathered together, Billingsley said there were a lot of different people to meet.

“Some of these parts of Alabama, I hadn’t even heard of before,” he said. 

The boys were bound to build friendships over the course of the week. He said he enjoyed getting to know many of his peers through the program. 

After he graduates from Lanett High, Billingsley plans to study Computer Science at Alabama State University. 

“You get to see the technology, see how it changes,” Billingsley said. 

His favorite part of the program was when he got his scholarship for tuition to Alabama State. 

Though it’s not something he had thought about before, Billingsley said he would be more likely to consider serving on a city council after the program. 

“I could see myself doing local government,” he said.