5 Galloway High School Seniors Participate in Annual American Legion Jersey Boys State at Rider University

Galloway Township, NJ -- Five high school seniors from Galloway are attending the 71st session of American Legion Jersey Boys State (ALJBS) at Rider University, ALJBS said on Tuesday.

The college-level seminar, sponsored by the American Legion Department of New Jersey, is an action-oriented approach for teaching civics and government at the local, county, and state level.

Students are typically chosen and sponsored by local American Legion Posts and other community-based organizations.

This year, 986 students from more than 325 New Jersey municipalities are participating.

Statesmen will have the opportunity to govern and interact with their peers from across New Jersey as they run their own mythical 51st state of the union from June 19-24.

Within 24 hours of their arrival to ALJBS, statesmen will form 18 mythical cities, divide into political parties and elect a mayor and city council from within their ranks.

Each statesman has an opportunity to participate in the political party process by running for office, voting in elections, among many other events.

By the end of the week, the delegation will elect a new ALJBS Governor, Lieutenant Governor and two Boys Nation Senators, who will attend a national program in Washington, D.C. this summer.

• Andres Arteaga, Galloway, Legion Post #430
• Malav Modi, Galloway, Legion Post #430
• Nicholas Montiel, Galloway, Legion Post #430
• Jeffrey Palermo, Galloway, Legion Post #430
• Jordan White, Galloway, Legion Post #430

Notable speakers this year include Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, Congressman Leonard Lance, among many others.

Other highlights include:

• Leadership and career seminars taught by business executives, military representatives, political consultants, law experts, journalists, and other professional experts;
• A college fair featuring more than 90 institutions from across the country;
• Election of the 71st ALJBS Governor on Thursday, June 23; and
• Election of two Boys Nation Senators on Friday, June 24, who will represent New Jersey at the annual American Legion Boys Nation program in Washington D.C. this summer.

Notable ALJBS alumni include Gov. Chris Christie (Boys Nation Senator, 1979), Sen. Bob Menendez (1971), Sen. Cory Booker (1986), Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito (1967), Rep. Leonard Lance (1969) and Assemblyman Herbert Conaway (ALJBS Governor, 1980).