Lawrenceville Teen Represents American Legion At Annual Jersey Boys State

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — Ryan Morris, of Lawrenceville is among 44 rising high school seniors from Mercer County who are attending the 72nd session of American Legion Jersey Boys State (ALJBS) held every year at Rider University.

The college credit-qualified conference, sponsored by the American Legion Department of New Jersey, is one of the leading “government-in-action” programs in the country, the American Legion said Monday night.
Statesman are typically chosen and sponsored by local American Legion Posts and other community-based organizations.

“It’s our honor to welcome 953 statesmen to Jersey Boys State,” ALJBS Director David Bagatelle said. “American Legion Jersey Boys State shapes the future for so many young students, each year, who become our political, community, military, and business leaders.”

Statesmen are afforded the opportunity to govern and interact with their peers from across New Jersey as they run their own mythical 51st state from June 18-23.

In the first 24 hours they are in attendance, statesmen will have formed 18 mythical cities and two political parties to elect a mayor and city council to guide their city throughout the week.

Each student has an opportunity to participate in the political party process by running for office, participating in friendly debate and 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.

Notable speakers this year include Lt. Gov. and Republican gubernatorial candidate Kim Guadagno, Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, U.S. Rep Leonard Lance, former Gov. Christie Whitman and ESPN analyst/NBA star Jay Williams

There will also be a college fair featuring more than 90 institutions from across the country, and leadership and career seminars taught by business executives, military representatives, political consultants, law experts, journalists, and other professional experts.

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).

Patch file photo