Press Release 06/22/2004

WILLIAMS ELECTED GOVERNOR OF 65th SESSION OF MISSOURI BOYS STATE

(WARRENSBURG, MO) -- Terence Roosevelt-Clarke Williams of St. Louis was elected Governor of the 65th session of The American Legion Boys State of Missouri held on the campus of Central Missouri State University last week. Williams defeated Orlando V. Hodges of Springfield, MO in a landslide to win the statewide election held on Thursday. Williams who attends Gateway High School in St. Louis captured 52% of the vote in his victory. Hodges received 26% of the vote in a very spirited election. Joshua L. Harris of Kansas City captured 20% of the vote with a very organized write-in campaign. Williams was sponsored by Anheuser-Busch Companies American Legion Post 299 in St. Louis and Hodges was sponsored by the American Legion Post 069 in Springfield. Harris was sponsored by the Ewing M. Kaufman Fund for Greater Kansas City.

Williams is the second student from Gateway High School to win the office of governor at Missouri Boys State. Joseph May was elected governor of the 1998 session. In his inaugural address on Thursday evening he thanked the many individuals who helped him in his campaign and the members of the Missouri American Legion who sponsored the 65th session of the Boys State program.

Williams spoke to the participants of Missouri Boys State following the remarks of the outgoing Governor Olawale Hassan of Ladue, MO. The Missouri Supreme Court Justice Ray Price administered the oath of office to Governor Williams and the newly elected state officials during the joint session of the Missouri Boys State House of Representatives and Senate. Price also delivered a keynote address during the assembly.

Other students elected to statewide office were: Lt. Governor, Michael S. Trojahn of St. Louis; Secretary of State, Gregory J. Blair of Columbia, MO; State Auditor, Dong-Jae Chung of Columbia, MO; State Treasurer, Clay A. Mothershead of Scott City, MO; Attorney General, Patrick T. Tankersley of Jackson, MO and Lorenzo A. Rice of Grandview, MO was elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The following individuals were elected as regular members of the Boys State Supreme Court:

Shawn Sahota, Columbia, MO
Kevin Quoc Hoang, Arnold, MO
Milton Perry Smiley Wilkins, Creve Coeur, MO
David H. Munerlyn, Florissant, MO
Stephen A. Justus, Columbia, MO
Dan Alexander, Columbia, MO

Only young men who distinguish themselves as leaders in their high schools and communities are selected to attend the Missouri Boys State program. Missouri Boys State is a citizenship and leadership training program sponsored by the Missouri American Legion. Boys State was held during the week of June 12 - 19, 2004 on the campus of Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, MO.