By ELLIOTT KIM

What does it take to keep order in a city run entirely by high school juniors?

At the 2026 New York American Legion Boys’ State program, one citizen stepped into the role of State Trooper. He is tasked with helping maintain order while learning the responsibilities of leadership and public service for all six days of the program. Happening at Morrisville State College, State Trooper Liam Ortiz worked with fellow State Troopers and Sheriffs to implement Boys’ State rules, help with daily operations, and promote the realistic simulation of state government. Through this experience Liam learned about responsibility, teamwork, and how to serve others.

INTERVIEW:

The Statesman: Hello, could you introduce yourself?

Liam Ortiz: Hello, I am Liam Ortiz #0264 from Fish County.

TS: Nice to meet you Liam, regarding your role in Boys’ State, what is it like being a State Trooper?

LO: Being a trooper here at Boys’ State is a great role to be a part of. I am here to enforce laws and serve as an aide to the counselors here.

TS: Why did you originally choose to be a State Trooper? You could’ve been a Sheriff instead.

LO: I chose to be a trooper here so I wasn’t restricted to just my County. I wanted a bigger role (in Boys’ State) and I plan on being a trooper in the future.

TS: I know it’s only been a few days but what does your usual day look like?

LO: My usual day is very busy, as a trooper you won’t have time where you are not doing something and the days are surprisingly organized.

TS: How do you like Boys’ State so far? Is it anything like what you expected?

LO: It’s somewhat how I expected it to be coming in. I felt it would be very militant, and it is, which is something I wanted to experience before I head off to serve my country. Coming in, I didn’t really understand politics, but being at these debates and being someone who had to debate made me learn a lot.

TS: If you were to be completely honest, which part of being a State Trooper is your favorite and least favorite? What about Boys’ State in general?

LO: My favorite part has been walking around and talking to people I’ve never met before. There are people from all over New York State, and I’ve met many great future leaders so far. Something I don’t really like is that it’s a lot of standing but it’s okay. The breaks are easy with the comfy chairs and our own room. 

TS: Do you feel like you’ve changed at all in the past few days here?

LO: I feel like I’ve changed since being here because I stepped out of my comfort zone. I came in thinking I was the weakest link because I’m not as academically strong as some of the others, but I realized I have other strengths to contribute to my brothers and that I can work well as part of a team. I put forth my all, and they saw potential in me and believed in me. Now I have these brothers for life who support me, and I’ll always be there to support them.

TS: Do you have any advice for next year’s citizens or State Troopers?

LO: I would say to the future Boys’ Staters to get involved with anything. You may not get what you want but strive to get something better. There’s something for everyone in Boys’ State and it’s a great experience and something that’ll look great on resumes and college applications. Just go for it and the last thing is “LETS GOO FISHH COUNTYYY” 

TS: Liam Ortiz thank you so much for taking the time to tell us about your experience and meeting with me.

LO: Of course.