Wrapping up Boys Nation 2024: ‘These are experiences you won’t get anywhere else’

The National Mall. Fort McHenry. American Legion Post 136 in Greenbelt, Md. The White House. The Supreme Court. The Capitol. The Pentagon. Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall. The Marine Corps War Memorial. Arlington National Cemetery.

A week that began with plenty of travel issues for the 100 senators of the 2024 session of American Legion Boys Nation concluded after a slew of successful and memorable visits around the Washington, D.C., area.

For Boys Nation 2024, their “week that shapes a lifetime” included experiences that will last a lifetime.

“If I wanted to come and take a tour of the Capitol, I wouldn’t be able to go in half of the places we did the other night,” said Tristen Wing of Maine, sponsored to Maine Dirigo Boys State by American Legion Post 105 in Newport, Maine, as he and fellow Maine senator Jack Fenton waited for their American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation senators on Thursday on Capitol Hill. “You know how many signs we passed that said, ‘No tourists beyond this point’? The Pentagon … it’s just truly incredible. These are experiences you won’t get anywhere else because of the people you’re with.”

Fenton said of the off-campus visits, “It’s a new perspective and just a new appreciation for being an American. Seeing the acts and the monuments built for people who have walked before us, it definitely gives me the courage to do things when I maybe don’t have courage myself.”

Boys Nation also made effective use of their Senate time on campus at Marymount University, with a number of bills reaching President Morgan Johnson’s desk for his signature. Among the legislation he signed:

·       A bill establishing “Space Day,” a national holiday limiting light pollution so that Americans can view and admire the night sky, introduced by Sen. Cole Smith of Alaska.

·       The Clean Needle Exchange Act, introduced by Sen. Timmy Jiang of Arizona.

·       The Comprehensive Data Privacy and Protection Act, introduced by Sen. Quinn Murphy of Delaware.

·       The Family First Act, introduced by Sen. Berni Guidi of Florida.

·       The Affordability Investment Drive, introduced by Sen. Samuel Zhang of Florida.

·       The Clean Water Access for Indigenous Tribes Act, introduced by Sen. Alexandro Garcia of Kansas.

·       The Mid-American High Speed Rail Act, introduced by Sen. Aidan Lessard of Kansas.

·       A bill to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Day, introduced by Sen. Jexy Sohl of Kentucky.

·       The US CARES for its Veterans Act, introduced by Sen. John Honnold of Missouri.

·       The S.A.F.E. Prevention Act, introduced by Sen. Nolan Reinhardt of New York.

·       The Social Security Solvency Act, introduced by Sen. William Drake of North Carolina.

·       The Packaging Accessibility Act, introduced by Sen. Tate Jordan of Virginia.

Click here to see all the legislation brought to Boys Nation by the senators this year.

Relive the week across social media

The American Legion’s national media team once again served alongside the Boys Nation volunteer staff to capture the events of Boys Nation. Visit the following links:

·       Boys Nation and Girls Nation laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Friday.

·       The two programs also met with their senators on Capitol Hill on Thursday.

·       Kansas Sen. Aidan Lessard visited his grandfather’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery.

·       Pennsylvania Sen. Anthony Speicher brought his grandfather’s bugle with him to Boys Nation.

·       During Wednesday’s visit to the Pentagon, Boys Nation laid a wreath at the 9/11 Memorial.

·       Watch President Morgan Johnson of Oklahoma and Vice President Rohan Parekh of Alabama being sworn in to office on Wednesday by Bill of Rights Institute President David Bobb.

·       Watch the Boys Nation 2024 presidential and vice presidential debates.

·       West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steve Gilland spoke to the Boys Nation senators on Monday.

·       Boys Nation and Girls Nation were guests at the White House Monday morning.

·       Boys Nation senators reflected on their experiences.

·       Revisit the opening weekend of the 78th session of Boys Nation.

The four elected officials of Boys Nation 2024 — President Johnson, Vice President Parekh, President Pro Tempore Eshaam Bhattad and Secretary of the Senate Charan Bala — also sat down for a roundtable conversation about their week. Stay tuned to Legion.org/BoysNation for that discussion.