Boys' Nation

Adrian Culea 0452

Every year two citizens from American Legion Boys’ State Department of New York are sent to Washington D.C. for Boys Nations. Who is being sent this year is clouded in mystery until sometime today. Thursday the delegates from Boys’ Nations last year shared with us their experience.
Rory Eaton went first, informing us he was elected secretary of defense for Boys Nation. No matter how many honors he attains, he will always remember his time at Boys State because he says this is where he found role models and learned morals he has grown to embrace. His time in Washington D.C. was very special for him because he met gifted politicians such as Hillary Rodham Clinton. He also met current President George W. Bush. Eaton left us with a few words of advice, telling us not to be afraid to put down our swords and negotiate, which he believes is the foundation of government. He even gave tribute to the organization that has brought us all together to learn more about our country, “American Legion is my friend and yours and I wouldn’t be the same without them.”

Corn Dogs for Breakfast!

By David Howe Number 730

The second day of Boys’ State dawned wet. The hopes and expectations of the night before disappeared in the bleary minutes right after I awoke. I could tell from the stickiness of the air that the rain had intensified rather than decreased.
We were bustled out of doors at roughly 6:00 A.M. for P.T, disappointing any hopes that the rain would excuse us from our scheduled work out. We stood under the pouring rain, feeling the water soak into our clothes and u into our eyes. The muddy exercise that ensued, focused on core-of-body work-outs, and after this our county ran for about ten minutes. The work-out was wet and uncomfortable, but vindicating, and the rain that made it so unpleasant to do ground-based calisthenics, did have the benefit of waking us up. After our work-out, and a quick change, we headed to find out what a breakfast at Boy’s State consists of.
As we filed into the cafeteria building, the smell of eggs, potatoes, and meat met our noses. The menu turned out to be extremely heavy, given the earliness of the hour. Our bodies still steaming from our workout and the drenching rain, we applied ourselves to the repast as best our digestions would allow. Despite my best efforts however, nausea set in about my fourth bite of “pancake-on-a-stick” and I could tell I was not alone by the anguished expressions of my neighbors.
From my personal observations (and I am sure this would be supported by a poll, if taken) the entree was too rich. The number of people that can effectively manage a meal that rich before 7am, is small enough that the meal becomes more wasteful than should be the case. Through an iron will and a supreme wish not to vomit all over the table, I pulled through and lived to eat another day, but it was by no means a given.