MONROE - Sam Nicholson, an incoming senior at Monroe High School, was selected to be a senator for American Legion Boys Nation held in the District of Columbia July 22-29.
Boys Nation is an annual American Legion program that includes civic training, leadership development and a focus on Americanism.
Nicholson attended Badger Boys State, one of the largest Boys State programs in the United States with approximately 880 participants, where he and one other were chosen to be senators at Boys Nation. He lost the mayoral election in his city by a coin toss and went on to run in his party's primary for lieutenant governor. Nicholson was joined by Joseph Chandler of Plymouth High School in representing Wisconsin at Boys Nation.
Nicholson has served as president of the investment club and is the president-elect of the National Honor Society at MHS. He will be participating in the University of Wisconsin-Extension Youth in Government program, in which he will be placed on a city council committee to learn how local government functions. He is involved in martial arts: He has attained a first degree black belt and enjoys the opportunity to pass what he has learned by helping to teach the lower ranks. Nicholson also is active in the children's ministry at his church. He hopes to attend one of several colleges, including UW-Madison or Washington University-St. Louis to study finance and investment.
During the eight days at Boys Nation, the 98 senators learned how the U.S. Senate and the federal government function. Boys were divided into the Federalist or the Nationalist party, each of which conducted a party convention, set a platform and nominated members for elected offices, including Boys Nation president, vice president and party leaders. Each senator wrote, introduced and debated a bill of his choosing before a Senate committee. The Senate voted on the successful bills; bills passing the Senate were signed or vetoed by the Boys Nation president.
The young men toured the National Mall, including the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Wall and Korean War Memorial. They presented a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, saw the Iwo Jima Memorial and visited Capitol Hill for meetings with their state's U.S. senators. They also visited the American Legion's Washington office to meet with lobbyists and subject matter experts and attend a dinner at a nearby Legion post hosted by National Commander Dale Barnett of Georgia.
This year's Boys Nation senators represent the nearly 20,000 incoming seniors who attended the 49 annual Boys State programs. Famous Boys Nation alumni include former President Bill Clinton, Governor Scott Walker, Senators Mike Lee and Tom Cotton, Tom Brokaw, Michael Jordan, Rush Limbaugh, Jon Bon Jovi, Garth Brooks, Neil Armstrong, Roger Ebert and Justice Samuel Alito.
Boys Nation is an annual American Legion program that includes civic training, leadership development and a focus on Americanism.
Nicholson attended Badger Boys State, one of the largest Boys State programs in the United States with approximately 880 participants, where he and one other were chosen to be senators at Boys Nation. He lost the mayoral election in his city by a coin toss and went on to run in his party's primary for lieutenant governor. Nicholson was joined by Joseph Chandler of Plymouth High School in representing Wisconsin at Boys Nation.
Nicholson has served as president of the investment club and is the president-elect of the National Honor Society at MHS. He will be participating in the University of Wisconsin-Extension Youth in Government program, in which he will be placed on a city council committee to learn how local government functions. He is involved in martial arts: He has attained a first degree black belt and enjoys the opportunity to pass what he has learned by helping to teach the lower ranks. Nicholson also is active in the children's ministry at his church. He hopes to attend one of several colleges, including UW-Madison or Washington University-St. Louis to study finance and investment.
During the eight days at Boys Nation, the 98 senators learned how the U.S. Senate and the federal government function. Boys were divided into the Federalist or the Nationalist party, each of which conducted a party convention, set a platform and nominated members for elected offices, including Boys Nation president, vice president and party leaders. Each senator wrote, introduced and debated a bill of his choosing before a Senate committee. The Senate voted on the successful bills; bills passing the Senate were signed or vetoed by the Boys Nation president.
The young men toured the National Mall, including the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Wall and Korean War Memorial. They presented a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, saw the Iwo Jima Memorial and visited Capitol Hill for meetings with their state's U.S. senators. They also visited the American Legion's Washington office to meet with lobbyists and subject matter experts and attend a dinner at a nearby Legion post hosted by National Commander Dale Barnett of Georgia.
This year's Boys Nation senators represent the nearly 20,000 incoming seniors who attended the 49 annual Boys State programs. Famous Boys Nation alumni include former President Bill Clinton, Governor Scott Walker, Senators Mike Lee and Tom Cotton, Tom Brokaw, Michael Jordan, Rush Limbaugh, Jon Bon Jovi, Garth Brooks, Neil Armstrong, Roger Ebert and Justice Samuel Alito.
