Rotareminder for the Rotary Club of Kent

June 24, 2025

Newly-installed President Amanda Senn called the meeting to order at 12:10. We sang the National Anthem played by David Dix. After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Randy Smith offered the invocation. Our second song was “Your Cheatin’ Heart” led by songleader Dom.

There were no visiting Rotarians at today’s meeting. Sam Harper, Mary Beth Harper’s son from Washington, D.C. was Mary Beth’s guest. Beth Khan, Asad Khan’s wife and mother of one of today’s speakers, was the guest of Jen Lennox.

 

Dennis Campbell reminded everyone that Kent Heritage Fest will take place on July 5 from 11am to 10pm. He also invited everyone to Beware of the Leopard at 4:30 today for a Chamber Business After Hours to hear about planned connections with Leadership Portage County.

Dominique Bollenbacher invited everyone to tour the new City Hall on July 5 from 11 to 2.

Bill Childers noted that the Salvation Army is in need of volunteers on the first Wednesday of each month to help distribute food from 8 am to 11 am. Meet at the parking lot across from the Christian Life Center at the corner of Summit and Horning.

Nithya Venkataraman invited everyone to attend the FIFA watch party at North Water Brewing at 3 pm on July 13.

President Amanda asked volunteers to sign up to man the Heritage Fest booth on July 5.

 

There were many Happy Buck contributors today, including Nelson Burns, Ann Moneypenny, Carol Crimi, Kathy Myers, and Amanda Senn. Nelson donated $100 in honor of his mother, Arlene Burns, on her 100^th birthday. Carol Crimi welcomed Sam Harper and noted that when he was President of Kent State’s student body, he proposed the establishment of an office of Student Legal Services, which Carol led held until her retirement.

 

Standing in for Asad who proposed today’s program, Stacey welcomed our guest speakers: 2025 Girl’s State delegates Peyton Richardson and Anya Young; 2025 Boy’s State delegates Simon Khan, Simon Hassler, Cooper Slater, and Sam Luthman; and 2023 Boy’s State and Boy’s Nation delegates Scottie Spears and Ethan Young.

Today’s speakers have all been or currently are students at Theodore Roosevelt High School. Simon Khan is Asad’s son and Peyton Richardson is Stacey’s daughter.

Boy’s State and Girl’s State are national programs organized within each state. Boy’s State is sponsored by the American Legion; Girl’s State is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. American Legion members are veterans; American Legion Auxiliary members are spouses or female relatives of veterans. Delegates are nominated by faculty in each participating high school and then interviewed by Legion or Auxiliary members who make final selections. The goals for both programs differ slightly, but both focus on civic education, leadership, American values, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Each delegate took turns introducing themselves, noting the role they played and discussed the insights, knowledge, and skills they gained during the weeklong experience. In 2024, Boy’s State was held at Miami University and Girl’s State was held at Bowling Green State University. Delegates spend a week on a college campus, meet new people from varied backgrounds and engage in mock governmental activities including proposing and advocating for legislation. Delegates take on roles of elected government officials ranging from Governor to Senator, Representative, City Council person, Prosecuting Attorney, and even Dog Catcher.

The delegates, a very impressive and articulate group of young people, talked about personal takeaways such as learning how to advocate and campaign for yourself, taking decisive action, understanding the complexities of getting things done in a democracy, overcoming the challenge of public speaking, and finding what you want to do in your life. They also enjoyed the experience of being on a college campus and interacting with new people.

In a lively Q and A session the speakers spoke passionately about the differences between the Boy’s and Girl’s programs. They noted that the girls are less likely to be encouraged to advocate and argue for strongly held positions than the boys, and they are discouraged from discussing controversial issues. Both groups heard speakers, prominent people in state politics, but the girls did not come away feeling empowered to take bold action. All agreed that changes to the programs are needed to solve this inequity.

The delegates also discussed the polarization in our society and how it was reflected in the others they met. Since our speakers are from Kent, a fairly liberal university-town environment, they were often surprised at the right-leaning attitudes and ideas expressed by delegates from other areas of the state. Guest Sam Harper, who was elected Governor during his experience at Boy’s State almost 20 years ago, agrees that meeting others with differing views was an important experience in his life. He spent about 8 years working in the political arena and encouraged today’ speakers to consider such opportunities in their own lives.

Delegates from 2023 Boy’s State Scottie and Ethan were chosen to attend Boy’s Nation in Washington, D.C. with students from all over the country.

Rebekah Wright-Kulis provided the response thanking everyone for the program and noting that both her daughter Katie and son Will participated as delegates when they were in 11^th grade. She congratulated the delegates for their candid and articulate presentation.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Thomas Hatch