Buckeye Boys State is off and running.

The events, which focus on the boys creating their own city governments, and include the organization, procedures, and operations of state government, began on Saturday night with an opening ceremony.

Gov. Ted Strickland addressed the students prior to debates on Monday.

During his speech, Strickland called for the voters at Boys State to listen closely to what the candidates were debating during their stump speeches.

The governor also wanted to assure the boys before their speech they shouldn’t be nervous to speak in front of a crowd.

‘Not to put any pressure on the candidates, but I will be listening to the debate as well,’ he said.

In his closing remarks after the debates, Strickland was impressed by the poise of the boys running for offices at this year’s event. The governor pointed out the boys did a great job during the debate, and could see them running for office when they were older, but not too soon.

‘I’m glad that none of these great men are eligible to run for governor of the great state of Ohio,’ he said.

In a press conference following the event, the governor stressed the difficulty of the questions the boys answered during the debate.

‘The questions they were given were very tough questions under the circumstances, they handled themselves with confidence and grace,’ Strickland said. ‘Some of them could hold office and conduct themselves in a political race, and be very effective.’

Boys State began on Saturday night in Anderson Arena with several senior members of Buckeye Boys State addressing the crowd about the importance of learning the functions of government.

However, not everything discussed was of a serious nature.

Robert ‘Bob’ Kimball, the department commander for the Ohio American Legion, assured the boys could keep in touch with anyone they might know at Buckeye Girls State held in Ashland, where Kimball will be heading this weekend.

‘If anyone has any notes or letters they would like to give any of the ladies, I will take them there,’ he said.

Among those speaking at Saturday night’s event included Ohio 6th District Rep. Randy Gardner, who called the boys at the event the leaders of today for all of their hard work and commitment.

‘To those who say that the young people are not up to the challenge[s] today I say come to Buckeye Boys State,’ he said.

Several senior members of Buckeye Boys State also addressed the boys, including Jerry White, the director of Buckeye Boys State. White discussed some of the important duties done by the American Legion that do not always get noticed.

This includes Gifts for Yanks, which helps veterans who are hospitalized at veteran’s affairs hospitals.

‘Every single veteran who is in the hospital receive[s] a gift, and most importantly they receive a visitor on Christmas,’ White said. ‘We try to make sure everyone who is in the hospital on Christmas gets a visitor.’

Several veterans were in attendance Saturday night including Father Louis Schmit, a commissioner for Buckeye Boys State, who served for six years in the Ohio National Guard and served three tours split between Germany, Korea and Bosnia in his 24 years of active duty.

The event reminded Father Schmit of his time as an instructor, and the event showed how the members of Boys State love their country through learning about state, city and local governments, he said.

‘This event means once more reaching out to young people; here they are coming from all over the state of Ohio to learn about their country,’ Schmit said.