Community Corner
Boys State Offers Lacey Teens A Look At Political Process
This week, 86 rising-seniors in high schools from Ocean County - 11 of whom are from Brick - and throughout the state are attending the 68th session of American Legion Jersey Boys State (ALJBS) at Rider University in Lawrenceville.
The program, sponsored by the American Legion Department of New Jersey, is designed to teach civics and government at the local, county and state level, including party politics.
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Boys State began in 1935 to stress the importance and value of this country’s democratic form of government and maintain an effort to preserve it. New Jersey convened its first Boys State in 1945. Held at Rider University since 1969, more than 850 student delegates attend each year. More than 50,000 delegates have participated in New Jersey Boys State since its inception.
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“This week will shape the future for 967 young leaders at Jersey Boys State,” said David Bagatelle, Director of ALJBS. “Just ask Governor Chris Christie, Senator Robert Menendez, or Mayor Cory Booker, all of whom, attended this program when they were in high school.”
Statesmen will have the opportunity to govern and interact with other top-of-the-class peers from across New Jersey as they run their own mythical 51ststate of the union until June 21.
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Within 24 hours, each city will divide into political parties, elect a mayor and council from within their ranks. By the end of the session, statesmen will have filled the ranks of local, county, state governments, municipal courts and will elect two senators to serve at American Legion Boys Nation in Washington, D.C. later this summer.
Throughout the week-long program, statesmen are:
- Hearing from notable speakers including US Senate candidate and Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Congressman Leonard Lance, and NJ Assemblyman Herbert Conaway, Jr.
- Participating in a robust college fair featuring top national universities;
- Attending leadership seminars and training by United States Marine Corps and New Jersey State Police;
- Electing the 68th ALJBS Governor; and
- Electing two Boys Nation Senators who will represent New Jersey at the annual American Legion Jersey Boys Nation program in Washington D.C., from July 19-26, 2013.
Ocean County statesmen in Attendance (Alphabetical by Name)
Jason Apruzzese, Brick, Legion Post #491
Matthew Bell, Brick, Legion Post #129
Shawn Bengali, Toms River, Legion Post #129
Gunther Billhardt, Lanoka Harbor, Legion Post #517
Cullen Blair, Barnegat, Legion Post #232
Drew Borton, Cream Ridge, Legion Post #129
Jesse Campana, Brick, Legion Post #348
Andrew Cannata, Brick, Legion Post #348
David Coleman, Forked River, Legion Post #517
Nicholas Craft, Toms River, Legion Post #129
Joseph Derado, Forked River, Legion Post #129
Milap Desai, Jackson, Legion Post #504
Douglas Desimone, Whiting, Legion Post #502
Jason Diaz, Allentown, Legion Post #455
Eric Doran, Toms River, Legion Post #129
James English, Toms River, Legion Post #129
Tarek Fayed, Jackson, Legion Post #504
Christpher Foberg, Lakewood, Legion Post #166
Lorenzo Garcia, Jackson, Legion Post #504
Evan Gedrich, Brick, Legion Post #348
Jacob German, New Egypt, Legion Post #455
Sukhdeep Gill, Allentown, Legion Post #455
Johnathan Grande, Forked River, Legion Post #517
Chandler Hammer, Lanoka Harbor, Legion Post #517
Lance Hansen, Brick, Legion Post #348
Dillon Heych, Jackson, Legion Post #70
Thomas Hollingsworth, Toms River, Legion Post #129
Kamoya Ikhofua, Brick, Legion Post #348
Raymond Javier, Manchester, Legion Post #502
Matthew Knigge, New Egypt, Legion Post #455
Connor Lynch, Whiting, Legion Post #502
Stephen Mikulak, Cream Ridge, Legion Post #455
Sean O'Brien, Brick, Legion Post #348
Daniel Piskowski, Toms River, Legion Post #129
Robert Rawley, Barnegat, Legion Post #232
Angelo Regina Jr, Bayville, Legion Post #351
Robert Salewski, Brick, Legion Post #348
Logan Schmitz, Brick, Legion Post #348
Cole Sousa, Millstone, Legion Post #455
Michael Statile, Whiting, Legion Post #502
Matthew Wernerspach, Toms River, Legion Post #129
Steven Wetzel, New Egypt, Legion Post #455
William Wetzel, New Egypt, Legion Post #455
David Wintrode, Toms River, Legion Post #129
Jared Wrath, Toms River, Legion Post #129
Jack Zhang, Brick, Legion Post #348
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