High school students from across the State of Kansas participated in the 85th session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas, held June 4-10 at Kansas State University in Manhattan. This was the 31th consecutive year the Kansas Boys State program was held at K-State.
The objective of the ALBSK is to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to community, state and nation. Kansas Boys State provides a relevant, interactive, problem-solving experience in leadership and teamwork that develops self-identity, promotes mutual respect and instills civic responsibility. Boys State is a “learning by doing” political exercise that simulates elections, political parties and government at the state, county and local levels, providing opportunities to lead under pressure, showcasing character and working effectively within a team. It’s also an opportunity to gain pride and respect for government and the price paid by members of the military to preserve democracy.
Among the highlights from the week, Samuel Houston, a resident of McPherson, Kan., and a senior-to-be at McPherson High School, was elected Kansas Boys State governor.
Adiel Garcia II, a resident of Olathe, Kan., and a senior-to-be at Spring Hill (Kan.) High School, and Creytin Sanner, a resident of Junction City, Kan., and a senior-to-be at Junction City High School, were elected to represent Kansas Boys State at Boys Nation, Friday, July 21 through Saturday, July 29, at Marymount University in Arlington, Va.
Kyle Wheatley, Fort Worth, Texas, was named Advisor of the Year. Wheatley, a 2003 KBS delegate and 2004 graduate of Wichita (Kan.) Northwest High School, serves as a KBS associate director and bank advisor.
Ethan Doherty, Denver, Colo., who served as a county counselor for Powell County, was named Counselor of the Year (counselors with four or more years’ experience). He was a 2016 KBS delegate and a 2017 graduate of Girard (Kan.) High School. Theo Wagnon, Topeka, Kan., who served as a House of Representatives counselor, was named New Counselor of the Year (counselors with three or fewer years’ experience). He was a 2020 KBS delegate and a 2021 graduate of Seaman High School in Topeka.
Josef Kuehnen, Olathe, Kan., a senior-to-be at Olathe South High School, received the William “Bill” F. Stahl Outstanding Justice Award, given to the outstanding member of the Boys State of Kansas Supreme Court as voted on by his Supreme Court peers. The award is presented in recognition of outstanding commitment to justice under the law and dedicated service to Boys State of Kansas. Stahl, of Junction City, Kan., passed away in September 2015 and was a longtime supporter of the ALBSK.
Kalo Hineman, Scott City, Kan., a senior-to-be at Scott Community High School, was named the Outstanding Senator (representing Eisenhower County), and Jaxon Blubaugh, Silver Lake, Kan., a senior-to-be at Silver Lake High School, was named the Outstanding State Representative (representing Eisenhower County).
Shawn Sullivan, Leavenworth, Kan., a senior-to-be at Leavenworth High School, was named the American Legion Department of Kansas winner of the Samsung American Legion Scholarship. As the state winner, Sullivan receives a $1,250 scholarship and his application moves on to the national level where he could receive a $5,000 award as a national runner-up or $10,000 scholarship as a national scholar.
The 86th session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas is tentatively scheduled to be held the week of Sunday, June 2, through Saturday, June 8, 2024, again at Kansas State University. For information on becoming a delegate (high school sophomores and juniors in the 2023-24 academic year), nominating a delegate or sponsoring a delegate next year, visit https://ksbstate.org.
The following is a list of this year’s ALBSK delegates (listed by zip code/city of residence; all cities in Kansas unless noted). Those delegates denoted with a star (*) were elected by their Kansas Boys State city as its outstanding citizen:
(Name, Year in School for 2023-24 Academic Year, High School; Kansas Boys State position – all cities/high schools in Kansas unless noted)
64012 — Belton, Mo.
- Chase Rothhaas, senior-to-be, The Barstow School, Kansas City, Mo; City of Shelton Councilman
64152 — Kansas City, Mo.
- Boston Orth, junior-to-be, LEAD Innovation Studio; City of Shoemaker Councilman
66006 — Baldwin City
- Grayson Coffield, senior-to-be, Baldwin High School; KBS Media
- Parker Massey, senior-to-be, Olathe West High School, State Treasurer
66007 — Basehor
- Nishan Thomas, junior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; Eisenhower County District Court Official
66013 — Bucyrus
- Luke Torrez, senior-to-be, Spring Hill High School; KBS Media
66027 — Fort Leavenworth
- Levi Hanlen, senior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; Powell County Representative
- Ethan Herken, senior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; Kennedy County Representative
- Connor Torres, senior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; City of Bramlage Councilman
66030 — Gardner
- Braeden Fitzgerald, senior-to-be, Gardner-Edgerton High School; Powell County Commissioner
- Ashton Lang, junior-to-be, Gardner-Edgerton High School; Department of Education and Culture Official
- Isaiah Lang, junior-to-be, Gardner-Edgerton High School; Eisenhower County District Court Official
66043 — Lansing
- Caleb Baltazar, senior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; City of Bramlage Councilman
- Paul Curtis, senior-to-be, Lansing High School; Seitz County Commissioner and KBS National Guard
- Jack Corrigan, senior-to-be, Lansing High School; Seitz County Representative
66044 / 66047 / 66049 — Lawrence
- Levi Bates, senior-to-be, Lawrence Free State High School; City of Shelton Councilman
- Sebastian Borjas, junior-to-be, Bishop Seabury Academy; Seitz County Commissioner and KBS National Guard
- * Mason Hadl, senior-to-be, Baldwin High School; Seitz County Commissioner
o Hadl was named Outstanding Citizen for the City of Werring
- Jake King, senior-to-be, Lawrence Free State High School; City of Krupco Councilman
- James Loyless, senior-to-be, Lawrence Free State High School; City of Gardner Councilman
- Max Mitchell, senior-to-be, Eudora High School; Seitz County Commissioner
- Jack Sartorius, senior-to-be, Perry-Lecompton High School; Powell County Representative
- Brandon Sikes, senior-to-be, Lawrence Free State High School; Department of Human Resources Official
- * Hayden Slough, senior-to-be, Bishop Seabury Academy; Kennedy County Commissioner
o Slough was named Outstanding Citizen for the City of Shelton
- Drake Spurlock; senior-to-be; Bishop Seabury Academy; Eisenhower County Commissioner
66048— Leavenworth
- Jaden Daniel, senior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; Seitz County Representative
- Quintin Hoppe, senior-to-be, Pleasant Ridge High School, Easton; Kennedy County Representative
- Trey Johnson, junior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; City of Krupco Councilman
- Grady Mathews, senior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; City of Gardner Councilman
- Luke Monroy, senior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; City of Werring Councilman
- Shawn Sullivan, senior-to-be, Leavenworth High School; Lieutenant Governor
66053 — Louisburg
- Colton Prettyman, junor-to-be, Louisburg High School; Department of Natural Resources Official
66061 — Olathe
- * Henry Bailey, senior-to-be, Olathe North High School; Eisenhower County Commissioner
o Bailey was named Outstanding Citizen for the City of Klassen
- Austin Chase, junior-to-be, DeSoto High School; Dole County Representative
- * Evan Faimon, senior-to-be, Olathe West High School; City of Whorley Councilman
o Faimon was named Outstanding Citizen for the City of Whorley
- Dylan Harker, senior-to-be, Heritage Christian Academy, Olathe; KBS Highway Patrol Officer
- Adiel Garcia II, senior-to-be, Spring Hill High School; Attorney General
o Garcia was elected to represent Kansas Boys State at Boys Nation
- Joey Geisler, senior-to-be, Blue Valley Southwest High School; Senate Majority Leader and Kennedy County Senator
- Jackson Gwartney, senior-to-be, Olathe West High School; City of Thomson Councilman
- Reid Kalkman, senior-to-be, DeSoto High School; City of Shoemaker Councilman
- Jakob Kuehnen, senior-to-be, Olathe South High School; City of Whorley Councilman
- Josef Kuehnen, senior-to-be, Olathe South High School; Supreme Court Judge
o Kuehnen received the William “Bill” F. Stahl Outstanding Justice Award
- Ricky Nosworthy, senior-to-be, St. James Academy, Lenexa; City of Klassen
- Isaac Shilling, junior-to-be, Olathe West High School; Department of Education and Culture
66067 — Ottawa
- Aiden Demoret, senior-to-be, Ottawa High School; KBS Highway Patrol Officer
66071 — Paola
- Johnson Martell, senior-to-be, Paola High School; City of Krupco Councilman
66080 — Richmond
- Marcius Englund, senior-to-be, Central Heights High School; City of Raymond Councilman
66086 — Tonganoxie
- Gavin Shupe, senior-to-be, Tonganoxie High School; Powell County Commissioner
66109 — Kansas City
- Thomas Hapke, senior-to-be, Piper High School; Speaker of the House and Kennedy County Representative
- Grayson Lamb, senior-to-be, Piper High School; Eisenhower County Representative
- Logun Nigh, senior-to-be, Lawrence Virtual School; Seitz County Representative
66202 — Mission
- Wilson Biles, junior-to-be, Shawnee Mission East High School; Dole County Commissioner
66203 — Shawnee
- Sam Wilson, senior-to-be, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; City of Werring Councilman
66205 — Westwood
- Rocco Marrello, senior-to-be, Bishop Miege High School, Department of Human Resources Official
66207 — Prairie Village
- Julius Lopez, senior-to-be, Bishop Miege High School; Powell County Commissioner
66208 — Mission Hills
- Dean Patterson, junior-to-be, Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, Mo.; City of Werring Councilman
66209 — Leawood
- Gavin Nelson, junior-to-be, Blue Valley North High School; Dole County Senator
- Landon Nelson, junior-to-be, Blue Valley North High School; Eisenhower County Representative
66211 — Olathe
- Trenton Rogers, senior-to-be, Olathe West High School, Department of Education and Culture Official
66213 / 66214 / 66221 — Overland Park
- Samuel Olson, senior-to-be, Olathe North High School; Dole County Representative
- Kevin Colerick, senior-to-be, Blue Valley Northwest High School; City of Whorley Councilman
- Matthew Newbold, junior-to-be, Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, Mo.; Dole County Representative
- Cody Peng, senior-to-be, Blue Valley Northwest High School; Secretary of State
- Matthew Stevens, senior-to-be, Blue Valley Southwest High School; City of Krupco Councilman
66215 / 66220 — Lenexa
- Logan Grosserode, senior-to-be, Home School; Eisenhower County Representative
- Hayes Schoenfeldt, senior-to-be, Olathe Northwest High School; City of Thomson Councilman
66216 / 66218 / 66226 — Shawnee
- Garrett Dykes, junior-to-be, DeSoto High School, Seitz County District Court Official
- Adam Poe, senior-to-be, Rockhurst High School, Kansas City, Mo.; Department of Economy Official
- Sebastian Smith, senior-to-be, Mill Valley High School; Eisenhower County Commissioner
- Mason Van Allen, senior-to-be, DeSoto High School, Kennedy County Commissioner
66224 — Leawood
- Jack Graves, senior-to-be, Blue Valley High School; City of Klassen Councilman and KBS National Guard
- Joshua Murphy, junior-to-be, Blue Valley High School; Department of Economy Official
- * Chetan Thomas, senior-to-be, The Barstow School, Kansas City, Mo.; KBS Media
o Thomas was named Outstanding Citizen for the City of Krupco
- Luke Wakeman, junior-to-be, Blue Valley North High School; Seitz County Commissioner
66409 — Berryton
- Grant Bryan, senior-to-be, Bishop Seabury Academy, Lawrence; Department of Economy Official
66440 — Hoyt
- Jackson King, senior-to-be, Royal Valley High School; Powell County District Court Official
66441 — Junction City
- Noah Fields, senior-to-be, St. Xavier Catholic School; City of Whorley Councilman
- Travis Leasure, senior-to-be, Chapman High School; Seitz County Representative
- Creytin Sanner, senior-to-be, Junction City High School; House Majority Leader and Powell County Representative
o Sanner was elected to represent Kansas Boys State at Boys Nation
66442 — Fort Riley
- Joseph Knell, senior-to-be, Junction City High School; Supreme Court Judge
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