Local Student Graduates from Texas Boys State

One of 1,000+ future leaders that assembled for the prestigious program
Spent week at University of Texas learning about government

 

AUSTIN, Tex. – The American Legion, Department of Texas, today announced that Ryder Bonser, Rowen Hamilton, William Martin, Jake McAnelly, and Maxen Powell of Smithson Valley High School have graduated from the American Legion Texas Boys State.
 
Rowen Hamilton was elected as Speaker of the House and Jake McAnelly elected as County Judge. Rowen Hamilton was one of two young men selected to attend Boys Nation and represent the State of Texas.  This is a huge honor and one Comal has not seen.  Over 800 young men attended Texas Boys State with over 368 high schools represented from across Texas.
 
Begun in 1935, Boys State is a unique program that educates future leaders about government, civics, and patriotism in a “learn by doing” environment. Each delegate has just finished his junior year of high school and was hand-picked by teachers, counselors, and local American Legion posts throughout Texas to attend this one week seminar.
 
During the week, the delegates were evenly split into fictional parties of the Nationalist and Federalists. Each party drafted party platforms, elected party officials, nominated candidates via primary elections, and contested a general election against the rival party and its candidates. The delegates ran for many kinds of offices including state, district, county, and city offices. Those elected to the House of Representatives and Senate spent the week drafting, debating, and passing bills on a wide range of social and economic issues.

This year the delegates heard from dozens of distinguished guest speakers including several members of the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate, and two generals speaking on topics of leadership and public service.
 
On Wednesday, June 14th, Texas Boys State enjoyed a parade from the University of Texas at Austin campus to the Texas State Capitol, where they toured the building and dropped in on their hometown representatives’ offices.
 
For more information on Boys State, visit