Dalton White, a resident of Leavenworth, Kan., and a senior-to-be at Leavenworth High School, has been elected governor of the 2019 session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy. The announcement was made this evening at Kansas State University in Manhattan. White is the second consecutive Kansas Boys State governor to hail from Leavenworth High School, following Chayne Dessaso last year.
White and his Federalist Party (considered to be the more conservative party) lieutenant governor running mate Dominic LiCastro, Wichita (attends Eisenhower High School), were elected over the Nationalist Party (considered to be the more liberal party) team of governor candidate Karthik Kasarabada, Overland Park (attends Olathe North High School) and lieutenant governor candidate C.J. Pfanstiel, Overland Park (attends Blue Valley West High School). The Federalist Party swept the state office elections.
Election results for the other state offices:
(Name, City of Residence, High School – all cities/high schools in Kansas unless noted)
- Secretary Of State — Allen Zhang, Manhattan, Manhattan High School (Federalist Party), defeated Gavin Jones, Salina, Salina South High School (Nationalist Party)
- Attorney General — William Madden, Atchison, Maur Hill – Mount Academy (Federalist), defeated Michael Kmiec, Farlington, Girard High School (Nationalist)
- State Treasurer — Colin O’Brien, Asbury, Mo., St. Mary’s Colgan High School, Pittsburg (Federalist), defeated Ian Gould, Roeland Park, Shawnee Mission East High School (Nationalist)
- Commissioner Of Insurance — Jackson Manske, Wichita, Maize South High School (Federalist), defeated Isaiah Sterling, Leavenworth, Lansing High School (Nationalist)
Kansas Boys State Governor White will give his inaugural address tomorrow (Wednesday, June 5) at 7:15 p.m. in McCain Auditorium at KSU. The evening’s festivities will also include the annual Kansas Boys State talent show and an address by Adrion Roberson, a member of the core teaching team at the Kansas Leadership Center based in Wichita as a facilitator of adaptive thinking competencies for the purpose of helping individuals make progress in/on daunting challenges.
Approximately 410 young men from across the State of Kansas, all of whom will enter their senior year of high school this fall, are participating in this year’s session of the ALBSKLA. The event, in its 82nd year, started Sunday (June 2) and concludes Friday, June 7. This year marks the 28th consecutive Kansas Boys State session at KSU.
The ALBSKLA 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.
— #KSBoysState —
The American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy is an interactive simulation that teaches high school seniors-to-be the value of democracy and civic duty. Participants form mock governments and campaign for positions at the city, county and state levels. After the elections, participants find out firsthand the difficult decisions made daily by those in government through a series of challenging simulations. Delegates, nominated to attend by their high school counselors and other influential people in their lives, are sponsored by American Legion posts and various civic organizations from across the state. All delegates demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities in student government, athletics and/or other activities.The Boys State program was founded by Legionnaires Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card in Illinois in 1935, and was first held in Kansas two years later in Wichita. The Kansas program moved to the University of Kansas in Lawrence in 1963 and remained there until 1991. The following year, it moved to its current location at Kansas State University in Manhattan. For more information about the American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy, visit http://kansasboysstate.com/ or http://bsla.info/old/.