Since the beginning of Boys’ State, it has been a place for boys to become men. In 1935, an instructor at the Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Americanism Chairman of the Illinois Department of The American Legion, and Harold Card, the Department Boy Scout Chairman and junior high school instructor, wanted to create a program for young …
By Anthony Johnson & Reed Argiropoulos “A party of action, a party of doers that gets things done” These were the words that echoed through the assembly hall last night at day two of the federalist convention. When winner for the governor ballot Luka Phillip-Ikpo (0272) from Fish County. Phillip-Ikpo took only two rounds of … Continue reading
By XAVIER SUAREZ-WRIGHT Each day at four in the afternoon, citizens at Boys’ State get the opportunity to play sports outside such as, basketball, softball, soccer etc. However, some citizens also decide to not participate in afternoon sports, whether it be due to special activities they’re a part of, or it’s based on their own … Continue reading
By CHARLES PUTNAM Each year, American Legion officials vote for a highly debated issue: whether or not to merge Girls’ State with Boys’ State. Advocates for this merger claim that it would introduce a new sense of equality in a nation built on liberties and freedoms. However, this notion itself serves as a detriment to … Continue reading
By CASON JUNG and TY STIEFEL All day on June 29, 2026, elections for the nationalist party took place and once again the ecstaticity was through the roof, and the drama continued in the same manner. The elections held on this day were for the roles of the Justices of Appeal, Comptroller, Attorney General, Lieutenant … Continue reading
By AVERY SUBIK The vast majority of students in New York high schools have never heard of Boys’ State — and that’s a problem. Knowledge of the American Legion and its week-long immersive program is slipping away, made evident by the decreasing enrollment of Boys’ State citizens in recent years. This downturn in awareness can … Continue reading
By MATTHEW COOPER Guest speaker Colin Schmitt spoke at Boys’ State on Monday, June 29th, 2026. The 2007 Boys’ State graduate shared his story of being chosen as a road guard on his first day at Boys’ State, a position responsible for ensuring the safety of citizens while marching across roads. Schmitt came to Boys’ … Continue reading
By CHARLES PUTNAM The room fell silent as New York State Senator Joe Griffo jumped off the stage to get level with the crowd, starting what would become an interesting and intriguing speech. Standing before more than 520 Boys’ State citizens, the returning guest speaker captivated the audience with stories from his career in public … Continue reading
By ANTHONY JOHNSON and REED ARGIROPOULOS “We are the Federalist Party.” These were the words spoken last night by Heyna Chung (0196) in his opening speech after winning the election for Federalist party chair on Sunday. Chung won a landslide victory in the third round of voting. Chung, a member of Kogutek County, was able … Continue reading
By CASON JUNG and TY STIEFEL On June 28, 2026, the party elections for the nationalist party lasted for over 3 hours in the night. In a dramatic evening full of cheering and passionate speeches, three citizens were chosen through a democracy to be the clerk, secretary, and chairman of the nationalist party. To start … Continue reading
At Monday’s Federalist State Party Convention, Federalists from all 10 counties of Boys State organized in a caucus to finalize their decisions on their nominees for state government positions. The convention did not have a scheduled ending time, but the 7:30 p.m. start time gave the party ample time to wrap up the proceedings in … Continue reading
American Legion Boys' State New York 