Press Release

SPRADLING AWARDED TWELFTH ANNUAL $4,000 WAYNE S. GREGORY MISSOURI BOYS STATE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP

(WARRENSBURG, MO) -- Kyle Spradling of Mount Vernon, MO is a bit more at ease about paying for his college education since he attended Missouri Boys State in Warrensburg last week. The Board of Trustees of The American Legion Missouri Boys State Memorial Trust awarded Spradling the Twelfth Annual Wayne S. Gregory Missouri Boys State Citizen of the Week College Scholarship at the conclusion of the 65th session of Missouri Boys State on Saturday, June 19, 2004. Spradling, who will be a senior at Mount Vernon High School next year, was nominated "Citizen of the Week" by 60 other participants at the Boys State program and was the only college scholarship winner from among the 946 participants at the Boys State program in 2004. Spradling is the son of Erin and Jim Spradling of Mount Vernon.

Spradling was one of 16 students so honored as "Citizen of the Week". These 16 young men were interviewed by a scholarship committee consisting of Missouri Boys State staff members who selected the winner based on scholarship, citizenship, leadership and his commitment to excellence in higher education. Spradling attended the Law School at Missouri Boys State and was elected Municipal Judge of Alcorn City. Spradling was also elected State Central Committee Secretary for the Nationalist Party. Spradling was sponsored at Missouri Boys State by American Legion Post 137 in Mount Vernon.

The scholarship is a $1,000 a year grant, renewable prior to each school year for four consecutive years based on certain scholastic performance standards set forth by the Scholarship Committee of The American Legion Missouri Boys State Memorial Trust. The scholarship is funded solely by The American Legion Missouri Boys State Memorial Trust, which relies on public donations as a source of revenue. Only participants in the American Legion Boys State of Missouri, Inc. are eligible to receive the scholarship.

The Missouri Boys State college scholarship is named for Wayne S. Gregory, who served as the commission chairman for Missouri Boys State prior to his death in 1999. Mr. Gregory was a decorated World War II veteran and hard working member of the Boys State staff for over 12 years.

The Missouri Boys State program was held on the campus of Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, MO from June 12 - 19, 2004. Missouri Boys State is a citizenship and leadership training program held annually and sponsored by the Missouri American Legion.