MAGAZINE – Magazine High School’s Brock Gentry and Rylan Matthews have been selected to represent their community and school at Arkansas Boys State 2023, an immersive leadership and civic engagement experience sponsored by the American Legion.
They will join more than 500 young men attending the program's 82nd session at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway from May 28 to June 2.
“Arkansas Boys State is a legacy program that has produced remarkable local, state, national and international leaders,” said Lloyd Jackson, executive director of Arkansas Boys State. “That Brock and Rylan were nominated to attend speaks volumes to their character, pursuit of excellence and desire to make his community stronger.”
During their week at Arkansas Boys State, they will be assigned a political party, city and county. Throughout the week, Gentry and Matthews, who will be seniors this coming school year, and their peers will administer, from the ground up, a mock government as if it were real: run for office, draft and pass legislation, solve municipal challenges and engage constituents.
“We like to say that Arkansas Boys State is a week that shapes a lifetime, and our tens of thousands of alumni can attest to that,” Jackson said. “We’re thrilled that Brock and Rylan are joining us and will experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Gentry and Matthews and their peers at Arkansas Boys State will be guided through their experience by more than 60 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.
The week's activities, including keynote speakers, general assemblies, and election speeches, will be streamed live by Arkansas PBS on their Arkansas Citizens Access Network: https://www.myarkansaspbs.org/arcan.