Community Corner

Boys State Offers Barnegat Teens A Look At Political Process

This week, 86 rising-seniors in high schools from Ocean County - 11 of whom are from Brick -  and throughout the state are attending the 68th session of American Legion Jersey Boys State (ALJBS) at Rider University in Lawrenceville.

The program, sponsored by the American Legion Department of New Jersey, is designed to  teach civics and government at the local, county and state level, including party politics.

Popular Stories

Boys State began in 1935 to stress the importance and value of this country’s democratic form of government and maintain an effort to preserve it. New Jersey convened its first Boys State in 1945. Held at Rider University since 1969, more than 850 student delegates attend each year. More than 50,000 delegates have participated in New Jersey Boys State since its inception.

Find out what's happening in Barnegat-Manahawkinwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“This week will shape the future for 967 young leaders at Jersey Boys State,” said David Bagatelle, Director of ALJBS. “Just ask Governor Chris Christie, Senator Robert Menendez, or Mayor Cory Booker, all of whom, attended this program when they were in high school.”

Statesmen will have the opportunity to govern and interact with other top-of-the-class peers from across New Jersey as they run their own mythical 51ststate of the union until June 21.

Find out what's happening in Barnegat-Manahawkinwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Within 24 hours, each city will divide into political parties, elect a mayor and council from within their ranks. By the end of the session, statesmen will have filled the ranks of local, county, state governments, municipal courts and will elect two senators to serve at American Legion Boys Nation in Washington, D.C. later this summer.

Throughout the week-long program, statesmen are:

  • Hearing from notable speakers including US Senate candidate and Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Congressman Leonard Lance, and NJ Assemblyman Herbert Conaway, Jr.
  • Participating in a robust college fair featuring top national universities;
  • Attending leadership seminars and training by United States Marine Corps and New Jersey State Police;
  • Electing the 68th ALJBS Governor; and
  • Electing two Boys Nation Senators who will represent New Jersey at the annual American Legion Jersey Boys Nation program in Washington D.C., from July 19-26, 2013.

Ocean County statesmen in Attendance (Alphabetical by Name)

Jason Apruzzese, Brick, Legion Post #491

Matthew Bell, Brick, Legion Post #129

Shawn Bengali, Toms River, Legion Post #129

Gunther Billhardt, Lanoka Harbor, Legion Post #517

Cullen Blair, Barnegat, Legion Post #232

Drew Borton, Cream Ridge, Legion Post #129

Jesse Campana, Brick, Legion Post #348

Andrew Cannata, Brick, Legion Post #348

David Coleman, Forked River, Legion Post #517

Nicholas Craft, Toms River, Legion Post #129

Joseph Derado, Forked River, Legion Post #129

Milap Desai, Jackson, Legion Post #504

Douglas Desimone, Whiting, Legion Post #502

Jason Diaz, Allentown, Legion Post #455

Eric Doran, Toms River, Legion Post #129

James English, Toms River, Legion Post #129

Tarek Fayed, Jackson, Legion Post #504

Christpher Foberg, Lakewood, Legion Post #166

Lorenzo Garcia, Jackson, Legion Post #504

Evan Gedrich, Brick, Legion Post #348

Jacob German, New Egypt, Legion Post #455

Sukhdeep Gill, Allentown, Legion Post #455

Johnathan Grande, Forked River, Legion Post #517

Chandler Hammer, Lanoka Harbor, Legion Post #517

Lance Hansen, Brick, Legion Post #348

Dillon Heych, Jackson, Legion Post #70

Thomas Hollingsworth, Toms River, Legion Post #129

Kamoya Ikhofua, Brick, Legion Post #348

Raymond Javier, Manchester, Legion Post #502

Matthew Knigge, New Egypt, Legion Post #455

Connor Lynch, Whiting, Legion Post #502

Stephen Mikulak, Cream Ridge, Legion Post #455

Sean O'Brien, Brick, Legion Post #348

Daniel Piskowski, Toms River, Legion Post #129

Robert Rawley, Barnegat, Legion Post #232

Angelo Regina Jr, Bayville, Legion Post #351

Robert Salewski, Brick, Legion Post #348

Logan Schmitz, Brick, Legion Post #348

Cole Sousa, Millstone, Legion Post #455

Michael Statile, Whiting, Legion Post #502

Matthew Wernerspach, Toms River, Legion Post #129

Steven Wetzel, New Egypt, Legion Post #455

William Wetzel, New Egypt, Legion Post #455

David Wintrode, Toms River, Legion Post #129

Jared Wrath, Toms River, Legion Post #129

Jack Zhang, Brick, Legion Post #348


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here