Kemdi Ekeanyanwu has an opportunity to do what only 98 rising high school seniors have a chance to do each summer — participate in the American Legion Boys Nation.
This year’s Boys Nation is set to take place July 17-25 in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area. The program offers delegates from across the nation the opportunity to serve as senators in a mock federal government as well as participate in civic opportunities. The program is supported by the American Legion, the largest U.S. veterans organization with more than 1.6 million members. Boys Nation senators are selected from delegates who participated in Boys State, a similar state-level program. Every state except Hawaii has a Boys State program.
Ekeanyanwu of Little Rock participated in the 85th annual Arkansas American Legion Boys State held in late May at the University of Arkansas in Conway. He was one of two ASMSA students who were elected to an office during the weeklong program. Ekeanyanwu was selected as a state senator for the mock state legislature. Wyatt Cowan of Texarkana was elected to serve as a justice of the peace for Carvell County.
Ekeanyanwu said Boys State was a great experience that motivated him to come further out of his comfort zone, “meeting and bonding with a community I never thought I’d love so much. The biggest thing I learned about leadership is confidence. What helped me get elected (as a state senator) was confidence as I spoke, and what helped me guide my committee was confidence in my choices and my constituents to get the job done.”
To earn the state senator position, he had to follow a similar process to real elections. He earned his party’s nomination for his district. He used what he learned from observing other delegates’ speeches to craft his own. “The key was to grab the audience’s attention, not (by) talking about myself but (by) telling them what I could do for them. Everyone knows we’re qualified, but what will we do? That’s the question.”
Later in the week, Boys State delegates were tasked with electing two delegates to serve as Boys Nation senators. Ekeanyanwu wasn’t sure about seeking election for that position initially.
“Originally, I was not planning on running at all, but I had this feeling that I should. I raised my hand, and a few speeches and elections later, I’m standing in front of all 600 Arkansas Boys State delegates, giving probably the best speech I’ve ever given after a long, intense Q&A,” he said.
He said his phone died shortly before his speech and he was unable to charge it, “so this speech came from the heart.”
Ekeanyanwu is excited about the opportunity to participate in this year’s Boys Nation, something that to his knowledge no other ASMSA student has done.
“I know this experience will be life changing, just by seeing Boys Nation alumni,” he said, including referencing former President Bill Clinton, who represented Arkansas at Boys Nation in 1963. “I’m so pumped to meet people, pass laws, debate and really widen my perspective. I’m more than excited to pave the way for more ASMSA students to attend one day.”
He said he wants to make connections with delegates from other states while helping them learn about Arkansas as well as learning more about the legislative process and improving his speaking and debate skills. He also has a bill in mind he’d like to pass at Boys Nation.
“I want to be able to pass a bill targeting food insecurity and debate it to the best of my ability,” he said, adding that he hopes to apply what he learns to help better Arkansas.