Submitted photo Groebner (left) and Brayden Haynes (right) served as New Ulm's delegates to Boys State. The week-long Boys State program, held between June 9 to June 15, teaches students about Minnesota government through participation. The delegates study all week and participate in mock government.

NEW ULM – This year 163 high school boys from across Minnesota attended Boys State at St. John’s University.

The week-long Boys State program, held between June 9 to June 15, teaches students about Minnesota government through participation. The delegates study all week and participate in mock government. Throughout the week, the delegates simulate organizing local, county and state level government.

Ben Groebner and Brayden Haynes served as delegates from New Ulm. Together the two were responsible for a third of the bills passed during the simulating legislative session.

Groebner and Haynes completed their junior years of high school last month, but their classroom work continued at Boys State. The two were recommended to attend Boys State this year, though both had different reactions.

Groebner had been aware of the Boys State program since last year. In addition to having friends attend Boys State last year, his older sister had attended Girls State in 2023. He received registration packet months before the program started.

Groebner admitted that going into the program, he was uncertain if it was something he wanted to do. In the end his sister convinced him it was something worth trying.

“It is a new experience,” Groebner said. “I get to meet new people and it will be interesting to see how things work.”

Haynes introduction to Boys State was almost the exact opposite. He is not entirely sure who recommended him for the program. Haynes said one day at school when walking past the office he was handed a packet and was excited for the opportunity.

“I am very politically charged,” he said. “When I got the packet I was ecstatic to see that I would have this chance.”

Haynes and Groebner arrived at St. John’s University Campus the first day and were introduced to other members in their “city.” Each student at Boys State is assigned to a city with roughly 30 other delegates. Within these groups they organize a local government. Throughout the week, the delegates build up through the different levels of government.

Haynes and Groebner each took different approaches to their first night at Boys States. After being assigned to cities, Groebner said he spent the day socializing with the other delegates and getting to know the people. Haynes said he tried the opposite.

“[Groebner] spent the day trying to socialize, I spent the day trying to not socialize with all the ability I had,” he said.

Despite the different approaches, New Ulm’s delegates to Boys State would both introduce and pass bills by the end of the week. This is something few delegates accomplish.

Throughout the week, the boys would take classes, learning about local government and how parliamentary procedure and how to pass legislation. There were also assemlies with guest speakers. Groebner said they would hear from members from the Minnesota House of Representatives and Gov. Tim Walz spoke. Each day they were able to put what they learned into practice.

Haynes said in the beginning it was about electing a city council and developing policy for their cities. In addition to being split into different cities, the delegates were separated by two fictional parties. Together they had to debate party planks and create city policies.

Groebner said from there they moved to organizing a county convention with members of the same said each day is built up a little more. Starting with the city, moving to the county and through the state.

“On the last two days, legislature at the House and the Senate,” he said.

It was at the legislative level the boys were given a chance to pass legislation. Many different topics were discussed at Boy State in terms of potential legislation, but like real government it can be hard to get a bill passed.

Haynes said the legislative debates they had were reflective of what is typically debated in the news: gun rights, abortion and immigration.

“There were lots of topics being discussed about stuff happening at Boys State,” Groebner said.

As part of the mock legislation, the delegates have the option to change the rules of how Boys State is run. Groebner and Haynes would introduce and successfully pass bills directly linked to Boys State.

Groebner’s bill was related to and of the week quiz. As part of Boys State the councilors administer quizzes, but the students are not told what they would be tested on. As a result, the quiz scores were low.

“I introduced a bill that made it so the councilors will have to tell us what is on the quiz,” Groebner said. “It did not go into effect for us, but it will go into effect next year.”

Groebner said his bill had a lot of support in the House and Senate. No one was opposed to it.

Haynes bill, which he called “The Lights On Bill” allowed the delegates to extend the lights out time by two hours on the last day of Boys State to allow the delegates to socialize longer. This bill was actually an amendment to Boys State constitution. Like a real amendment to the constitution, it must pass through the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Governor needs to sign off of it, 10% of the Boys State delegates need to sign a petition and then two-thirds of the student body must vote yes on it.

Haynes managed to get his ‘Lights on Bill’ through all these stages and it became only the fourth amendment ever passed at Boys State in the organizations 75 year history. The last amendment was passed was 63 years ago.

The irony of Haynes passing this amendment is it allowed the delegates more time to socialize, something he avoided on the first day at Boys State.

“For me it was coming out of my shell,” Haynes said. “On the first day, my goal was to not talk to people, on the last day I was running around the building getting people to sign a petition and talking to the Governor.”

It was a big leap to take in only a few days.

Haynes take away from the Boys State program was the importance of actively pursuing goals. He said a total of six bills were passed at Boys State this year and that includes his amendment and Groebner’s bill. It shows that dedicated action can work.

Looking back on their time at Boys State, both Groebner and Haynes feels it was a positive experience.

Haynes said is considering a career in politics. After high school he plans to study political science and global relations.

Groebner said he has no plans to pursue politics, he appreciates learning the process.

“That’s something really important voters and people in general need to know about government,” Groebner said. “A lot of people don’t have the opportunity to experience it like this.”