Press Release 05/01/2005

BOYS STATE OFFICIALS NAME 2005 BOYS NATION DELEGATES

(WARRENSBURG, MO) – Two Missouri high school students are scheduled to meet President George W. Bush in the Rose Garden as participants in The American Legion Boys Nation program next month. The American Legion Boys State of Missouri Boys Nation Committee named Curtis Gregory Allen of Raytown and Andrew Gregory Fogle of Springfield as their 2005 delegates to the American Legion Boys Nation program to be held July 22 - 30, 2005 on the campus of Marymount University in Arlington, VA. Allen and Fogle were chosen from the 983 young men who attended the Missouri Boys State program during the week of June 11 - 18, 2005 at Central Missouri State University. Allen will be a senior at Raytown High School during the 2005-06 school year and was sponsored at Missouri Boys State by the Kaufman Foundation Youth Advisory Board and Fogle will be senior at Springfield Central High School and was sponsored by American Legion Post 069 in Springfield.

Both young men will participate as Senators in a mock congressional system and take a practical approach to the study and operation of our federal government, while participating in events in and around Washington, D.C. Boys State programs from around the country will send two participants each to the Boys Nation program this year.

President George W. Bush has granted an audience in The White House to Boys Nation participants every year since he became President in the year 2000. The 2005 delegates are currently scheduled for a visit to The White House during the program on Friday, July 29th. All Boys Nation participants are also scheduled to make a visit to Capitol Hill during the week where they will have a chance to meet with members of Congress on Thursday, July 28th.

Two alternates were chosen to represent Missouri in the event that either delegate is unable to attend. The first alternate is Patrick Tyler Davey of St. Charles (DeSmet Jesuit High School) and Christopher Edwin Swanson of Rock Hill (Webster Groves High School) was chosen second alternate. The selections for Boys Nation were made by a panel of Missouri Boys State staff members who interviewed each candidate individually.

Missouri Boys State is a citizenship and leadership training program held annually in June for high school students who have completed their junior year. Missouri Boys State is sponsored by the Missouri American Legion. 2005 marked the 66th session of the Missouri Boys State program.