During the last week of my junior year, I attended South Dakota's Boy's State. For me this was an interesting experience because for the first time I was surrounded not only by the brightest students in my school, but the best and brightest from the entire state. Overall, this was an eye-opening experience because everyone attending had thoughts to contribute to running our own state. Those who became involved had their own personal perspective that was shaped by the social, economic, and geographical characteristics of their home region. The most intriguing aspect of the week had nothing to do with actual government policy. Instead, I left understanding that when people of different backgrounds come together for a length of time, everyone
