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 service and his vision for civic engagement. His energetic delivery drew plenty of noise from delegates. Students cheered, for example, at his suggestion of lowering the legal drinking age.

Griffo doesn’t emphasize just one policy but rather an attitude of improvement.

 “What keeps me going is the fact that we must always strive to be better … because you can never rest on your laurels. That’s the one thing I’ve learned,” he said.

Griffo also encouraged students and teenagers to stay involved in politics and keep striving to solve issues they may find, an inspirational factor in his own decision to involve himself in government.

“If you [teenagers] find a candidate that you really embrace ideology-wise, then I would say go, they’re always looking for volunteers,” Griffo said.

He also spoke about various committee seats in your party which you can be elected for at age 18. He explained how political candidates often have internships for even younger students.

His message resonates well with the purpose of Boys’ State itself by promoting similar values of civil literacy, democratic processes, and discipline. Rather than simply discussing politics, Griffo challenges the Boys’ State Class of 2026 to become a meaningful part of it.