The young men that hold the future

Every year the American Legion post from Mt. Pleasant selects a high school junior or senior to participate in the prestigious Boys’ State program.

Mario Carapia Segundo has been chosen as Mt. Pleasant’s representative for 2022.

Segundo is a junior at Mt. Pleasant High School.

He is currently a member of the National Honor Society, is on the honor roll with a 4.0 grade-point average, and plays defense for the soccer team.

“As a mother, I feel super happy and excited that my son has been chosen to participate in this great experience,” Mario’s mom Viridiana Sergundo said. “It is a great privilege to learn new things.”

“Since childhood he has been a very dedicated and passionate boy in his studies,” Viridiana Sergundo also said. “Him being awarded with this makes me feel proud.”

Viridiana Sergundo’s hopes that her son will get a scholarship, study at the university and have the profession that he wants.

She would also like to thank all those who saw Mario as a good candidate and gave him the opportunity to participate in the Boys’ State program

According to the American Legion website, Boys’ State has been a program with the American Legion since 1935 and is currently present in every state except Hawaii.

The purpose is to teach the young men about government from the township level to state level with an opportunity for two boys from each state to go onto learning more at the federal level.

Participation in the program includes activities such as legislative sessions, court proceedings, presentations from law enforcement, assemblies, bands, choruses, and recreational programs.

This year Iowa’s Boys’ State will take place from June 9-24 at Camp Dodge in Johnston.

“Students become part of the operation of local, county, and state government,” the American Legion website says of the time spent in the program.

Segundo was selected as this years representative from Mt. Pleasant based on merit and ability.

The qualifications considered when choosing participants are that the boy is a junior or senior in high school, has not participated in Boys’ State previously, and exhibit leadership, character, academic mindedness, loyalty, and service to school and community.

According to a Roll Call article by Clyde McGrady in 2020, Boys’ State has produced a number of actual U.S. senators such as John Thune, Cory Booker, and Tom Cotton.

In fact, in 2020 20 percent of all senators serving had participated in Boys’ State during high school.

“I learned the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of citizenship,” McGrady quoted Chuck Grassley saying of his experience with Boys’ State.

Other notable names who came up through the program include Bill Clinton, Dick Cheney, and Samuel Alito.

“Boys State and Boys Nation helped to teach me from a young age that democracy requires us to get off the sidelines and into the arena,” Clinton said on his podcast of his time in Arkansas’ 1963 Boys’ state and nationals.

According to the American Legion website, during Clinton’s time with the program he was allotted the opportunity to shake hands with President John F. Kennedy.

Segundo may be one of many chosen participants for the Boys’ State program, but his name is now among many other great names.

There is no telling what the future holds for students who attend Boys’ State, but if history is any indicator, we may want to keep our eyes peeled to see what Segundo does next.

The Mt. Pleasant American Legion will be hosting a chili supper this Saturday April 23 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to raise funds for sending this young man and future young men to Boys’ State.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com