MANHATTAN — Great Bend’s Eric Vasquez and Larned’s Mason Schartz won primary elections for a state office at the 2016 American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy (ALBSKLA) Monday. Vasquez is running for Attorney General. Schartz is a candidate for Commission of Insurance.
Candidates face off in debates scheduled from 1-3 p.m. Tuesday in McCain Auditorium, with the general election to follow. The general election winners will be announced at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Marlatt Hall parking lot, northeast of Claflin Road.
Five hundred Kansans are participating in the 2016 session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy. The 79th event started Sunday and concludes Friday at Kansas State University.
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.
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.
GOVERNOR
Grant Daily, Andover Central High School (Federalist Party – considered more conservative)
Patrick Bircher, Lansing (Nationalist Party – considered more liberal)
Each party will select its lieutenant governor on Monday night during their respective party conventions.
SECRETARY OF STATE
Colin Lucas, Leavenworth (Federalist)
Aarmer Uddin, Olathe Northwest (Nationalist)
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Eric Vasquez, Great Bend (Federalist)
Hunter Eisler, Olathe North (Nationalist)
STATE TREASURER
Kyle Tollefson, Hiawatha (Federalist)
Nick Siscoe, Blue Valley North (Nationalist)
COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE
Mason Schartz, Larned (Federalist)
Adam Kropf, Westphalia, Anderson County High School (Nationalist)
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://ksbstate.org/.