Recruitment Review Minnesota American Legion Boys State Recruitment Review, Best Practices & Lessons Learned

Recruitment Review Timeline –November: Core Leadership Organized at N’tal Dir. Conf. Recruitment Team Formed from Staff Schools and Regional Recruiters Assigned –December: Recruitment Guide and Staff Trained –January: Begin work in Schools and Districts

Recruitment Review February-March: –Focused on Message that resonated well with the targeted high school junior demographic Resume building & Leadership experience One of few programs left that is free once selected A college experience living on campus for a week Make lifelong friends, build your network, meet the state’s top leaders –Use On-Line Interest Form to find candidates

Recruitment Review April-May: –Completed Formal Registration –Helped Pair Interested Boys with Interested Posts June: –Recruitment during the Program Quality of Program and Experience is Essential Counties and Cities Discussed Resolution #1 Counselors asked to maintain contact with boys during the school year

Recruitment Review Lessons Learned –Legion Boys State is not well known in Schools Largest struggle is in Urban and Suburban Schools –Schools are larger and less connected to the community –Security and screening of visitors/programs is more strict Need to Re-Introduce the Program –Top-Notch civics and leadership camp »Free for selected Boys and College Scholarships available –Teach them that Boys State is not the baseball tournament –Program Quality is Essential High Quality at our Low Cost should keep boys recruiting the following class