Judge Memorial student wins scholarship at Boys' State

OGDEN — Charlie Fuertsch attended Boys State at Weber State University June 10-15, and as a result the Judge Memorial Catholic High School senior received a four-year scholarship to the university.

In college, he plans to pursue science and musical interests, he said.

His musical interests are diverse: He began taking piano lessons when he was 6, and picked up the guitar five years ago. In June he competed in the Utah State Instrument Championship at the Ogden Bluegrass Festival and won first place in flat pick guitar; the prize was a $2,000 carbon fiber RainSong guitar and eligibility to compete in a national bluegrass competition in Kansas in September.

"I became interested in bluegrass music in January and started taking lessons," Fuertsch said. "I played two instrumental songs and won the guitar. … I will pursue a dual science and music degree in college and will definitely play music my whole life."

After attending Boys’ State, Fuertsch was not persuaded to go into politics, but "the experience gave me a lot of opportunities," he said.

Boys’ and Girls’ State were founded in the 1930s as summer leadership and citizenship programs sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary for high school juniors.

"Its objective was to educate American youth about the way our government system works in order to combat totalitarianism in the 1930s, and to keep democracy alive," said Fuertsch.

Fuertsch attended Boys’ State for the scholarship opportunities, he said. "But I also experienced seeing city officials and Utah State Governor Gary Herbert speak, and I learned about the parliamentary system, hearing about it from people who experience it firsthand. The underlying theme of the speakers and the camp was the responsibility that comes with American citizenship and being endowed with freedoms, and, as citizens, we are called to do what we can to better our society."

Fuertsch also participated in organizing simulated cities, counties and districts, he said.

"We were elected to political positions by our peers," he said. "I was elected to county commissioner and my responsibilities were to oversee the primary process and who was nominated from our county to run for senator and governor."

In addition, he witnessed World War II veterans retiring the American flag. His grandfather, who was an F-86 fighter pilot in Germany during the 1950s and an F-4 pilot during the Vietnam War, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

"I definitely thought of my grandfather and was proud to know he had served and given a lot to help protect what the flag represents," Fuertsch said.

Fuertsch also met a lot of "motivated and smart people, and made a lot of good friends from all over Utah, who I will probably be friends with for a long time," he said.