By Gregory Johnson-Beaver Dam Jr./Sr. High School Guidance Counselor
Nevada Boy’s State is an American Legion sponsored citizenship workshop for high school juniors throughout the State. Paul LeVan, representing Post 24, asked if Beaver Dam students would be interested in attending the week long experience.
Beaver Dam High School student body president Cesar Ruiz attended Boys State recently.
Cesar Ruiz, 2018-19 student body president, has always had an interest in governmental processes, philosophy, and responsible social justice. This American Legion seminar was an ideal fit and Post 24 paid all of Cesar’s expenses.
While at the seminar, Ruiz participated in the legislative process, congressional debate, political party processes, and committee discussions. These were the structured activities, but the unstructured time spent meeting and talking with other boys from throughout the state, from a variety of backgrounds, gave Ruiz in incomparable learning experience.
Ruiz writes “This week has taught me how to lead humbly, not in name or position but in action. This experience has also taught me that titles do not matter. When you take initiative and act, no matter how small the action, you start something. The people with the titles get the recognition, but the feeling of completing a task and knowing you took charge just gives makes me feel capable of anything.”
Ruiz and Beaver Dam High School want to give a special thanks to LeVan and American Legion Post 24 for reaching out and then providing Cesar with this enriching leadership activity. Boy’s State is a wonderful way to build citizens and leaders one boy at a time.
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