LITTLE ROCK, AR (05/12/2025)– More than 610 of the state’s brightest young men, representing 207 high schools throughout the state, will attend Arkansas Boys State, an immersive leadership and civic engagement experience sponsored by the American Legion. This summer’s 84th annual session runs May 25 through May 30 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
The program’s 2025 enrollment marks its largest class of young men in 10 years.
Local students attending Arkansas Boys State 2025 include:
Jaden Sosa of Hermitage (71647)
Kelby Robertson of Warren (71671)
Jude Cathey of Warren (71671)
Bleyze Fellows of Warren (71671)
Colton Steen of Warren (71671)
“This year’s remarkable growth speaks to how this program is playing a life-changing role in the lives of the young men who join us year after year,” said Jackson. “We’re thrilled that these local students are joining us and will experience this once-in-a-lifetime leadership opportunity in just a few weeks.”
While at Arkansas Boys State, these students will be guided through their experience by more than 75 volunteers who serve the program. The staff of volunteers includes college students and career professionals with interests and expertise in education, finance, industry, politics and government, journalism, and more.
Arkansas Boys State is an immersive program in civics education designed for high school juniors. Since 1940, the week-long summer program has transformed the next generation of leaders throughout the state and beyond. These men have become state, national, and international leaders, including Pres. Bill Clinton, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former White House Chiefs of Staff Mack McLarty and Jack Watson Jr., Sen. Tom Cotton, Sen. John Boozman and former Arkansas Chief Justice John Dan Kemp. Learn more at arboysstate.org.
During their week at Arkansas Boys State, delegates are assigned a political party, city, and county. Throughout the week, delegates, from the ground up, administer this mock government as if it were real: they run for office, draft and pass legislation, solve municipal challenges, and engage constituents. By the week’s end, the delegates have experienced civic responsibility and engagement firsthand while making life-long memories and friends – all with our guiding principle that “Democracy Depends on Me.”
