Awards & Scholarships

Every year, each of the 49 Boys State programs conducts rigorous interviews during the course of the week to select two (2) Delegates and two (2) Alternative Delegates to represent their state at the American Legion Boys Nation program. Delegates chosen will attend this extension of Boys State- a rigorous deep-dive into the federal legislative process hosted in our nation’s capital, Washington D.C.

The first Boys Nation- then called the Boys Forum of National Government- was founded in 1946 and hosted at American University. Previous delegations to Boys Nation have met with top legislators from both chambers of Congress, Administration officials, and have previously had the opportunity to meet with the President of the United States. One of the most famous photos from Boys Nation depicts an attendee from Arkansas, future President of the United States Bill Clinton, meeting President John F. Kennedy in Washington D.C.

Today, the American Legion Boys Nation is held at Marymount College in Arlington, Virginia and the program picks up where Boys State programs leave off. Delegates to Boys Nation are installed as Senators, and after caucusing and receiving their committee assignments, will review, debate, and pass legislation sent to them by each Boys States’ legislatures. Delegates will tour many historic sites in and around Washington D.C., including a tour of the National Mall and national war memorials, a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, and a tour of the U.S. Capitol Building. The week culminates with the inauguration of Boys Nation’s duly elected President and Vice President.

 The American Legion National Headquarters pays for all delegates’ transportation, housing, and meal costs for attending the American Legion Boys Nation.

How to Be Considered:

Two (2) Buckeye Boys State citizens will be selected as Delegates and two (2) will be selected as Alternative Delegates to represent Ohio at the American Legion’s Boys Nation program in Washington D.C. 

During the program, candidates are nominated by their Section Heads. They will be notified that they will be interviewed by a Boys Nation Selection Panel, composed of Legionnaires, previous Boys Nation attendees from Buckeye Boys State, and staff members. The selected Delegates and Alternative Delegates to Boys Nation will be announced at the graduation ceremony at the conclusion of Buckeye Boys State.

Each year 15 young men at Buckeye Boys State who are interested in learning about law enforcement are chosen by the Ohio State Highway Patrol to spend five days following Boys State at the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy in Columbus, Ohio, for an intense, mini-training course on the operations of the Ohio State Highway Patrol called “Junior Cadet Week”.

“Junior Cadet Week” is a joint program of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio American Legion, American Legion Buckeye Boys State, Ohio American Legion Auxiliary, Ohio American Legion Buckeye Girls State, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol Auxiliary.

At Junior Cadet Week, the 15 Boys State cadets, join with 15 cadets from Buckeye Girls State who were similarly chosen upon the recommendation of Ohio State Highway Patrol personnel or American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary members.

During the week Ohio State Patrol Troopers will provide classroom and hands-on training in topics such as firearms safety, crash investigation, traffic stops, leadership, defensive tactics, and criminal law. Junior Cadets will also get to experience demonstrations from the Highway Patrol’s special operations sections such as Aviation, SRT, and Criminal Patrol.

“Junior Cadet Week culminates in a formal graduation ceremony attended by the Superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio American Legion Department Commander, Buckeye Boys State President, Buckeye Boys State Director, Buckeye Girls State Director, and members of the Ohio State Highway Patrol Auxiliary.

Interested applicants must be highly motivated male and female students entering their senior year of high school. Online and homeschool students are also encouraged to apply. They must also have a recommendation from an Ohio State Patrol employee or an American Legion member. The overall program is limited to 50 participants and the Ohio State Highway Patrol covers the cost of food, housing, and program materials for each cadet selected.

The American Legion Buckeye Boys State program and American Legion Buckeye Girls State program, working with the Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, annually recommends candidates for consideration to participate in the United States Senate Youth Program held annually in mid-to-late February in Washington D.C.

The United States Senate Youth Program is a competitive high school program which offers two (2) representatives from each state a short introduction to the operation of the United States Senate and the federal government in an effort to deepen the delegate’s interest in an understanding of our country’s political process.

104 student representatives from across the country and Department of Defense schools will follow an intense schedule during their week-long stay in Washington D.C. The United States Senate Youth Program may include visits to Congress, the Supreme Court, the Pentagon, and various Smithsonian museums. Delegates will also have the opportunity to meet with various U.S. Senators, cabinet members, and many other government officials.

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation sponsors the United States Senate Youth Program and will assume all expenses of the participants for the week including transportation, lodging, and meals, and has completely funded this program for over 40 years.

In addition, the Ohio delegates to the United States Senate Youth program will be awarded a $5,000 scholarship.

Two (2) delegates and two (2) alternates for the United States Senate Youth Program from Ohio will be selected by the Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction from among the candidates recommended by American Legion Buckeye Boys State and American Legion Buckeye Girls State.

UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR OHIO STUDENTS:

• The United States Senate Youth program is open to any current high school junior who will be a senior in the Fall provided they have not previously been a delegate to the program.
• Eligible nominees must currently be serving in any of the following student government offices:
  • Student body president, vice president, secretary or treasurer.
  • Class President, vice president, secretary or treasurer.
  • Student Council representative, but not Homeroom/classroom representative.
• Students must be a permanent resident of the United States and currently enrolled in a public or private secondary school in Ohio.
• Ohio must be the legal residence of either of the student’s parents or their legal guardian.
• Nominees must have attended either the American Legion Buckeye Boys State or the American Legion Buckeye Girls State program and be a high school junior who will be a senior in the Fall.

Delegates and alternates are announced annually in December.

U.S. Senate Youth Program Application

Letters of recommendation may be entered at the link below.

Letter of recommendation

Instructions on how to access and complete the official online Samsung American Legion Scholarship application are available at The American Legion National website: Samsung American Legion Scholarship.

In 1995, the Samsung Electronics Group in South Korea wished to express the gratitude of the South Korean people to the United States and the United States military personnel who fought to maintain the freedom of South Korea during the Korean War.

The Samsung Electronics Group looked at many national civic and fraternal organizations across the country and finally selected the American Legion as the beneficiary of a gift from the Samsung Group because of the American Legion’s ongoing commitment and programs to educate young men and women; especially the American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State programs and the status of the American Legion as the worlds largest veterans organization.

The gift from the Samsung Electronics Group came in the form of a $5 million dollar endowment to the national American Legion headquarters to create the Samsung American Legion Scholarship which is offered annually to those attending the American Legion Boys State or American Legion Auxiliary Girls State programs in their respective states.

If you are a direct descendant (i.e. child, grandchild, great-grandchild) of a United States veteran who served honorably during World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf War or the War in Afghanistan, or a legally adopted child of a U.S. veteran who served as shown, you may be eligible to apply for the Samsung American Legion Scholarship.

From a national pool of approximately 98 candidates, ten (10) national finalists and ten (10) national runners-up are chosen annually. Each national finalist will receive a $10,000 award. Each national runner-up will receive a $5,000 award.

Since the inception of the Samsung American Legion Scholarship, the American Legion Buckeye Boys State program has been honored to have four young men selected to receive a Samsung American Legion Scholarship:

• 1997: Eric Bucher, Navarre, Ohio
• 2003: Brett Smith, New London, Ohio
• 2010: Joshua Foerst, Streetsboro, Ohio
• 2013: Dallas DeBruin, Greenfield, Ohio

Participation in American Legion Buckeye Boys State is the only place and time in the state of Ohio a young man may apply for the Samsung American Legion Scholarship.

Samsung American Legion Scholarship Application.

Daily City and County Awards:
A banner is awarded to one city in each of the nine counties of Buckeye Boys State judged to be the most outstanding city for that day. A special banner is also presented to one Buckeye Boys State County of the nine counties judged to be the most outstanding that day.

Legislative Awards:
Awarded to Boys State citizens who served in the Buckeye Boys State General Assembly. The following are recognized:

• • Most outstanding Senator
  • Most outstanding Representative
  • Most outstanding member of the clerk’s staff in the Senate
  • Most outstanding member of the clerk’s staff in the House

Special awards:
Special Awards are presented to Boys State Citizens who demonstrate outstanding abilities and achievements in each of the following Sections of the Buckeye Boys State program:

• • State Government
  • County Government
  • City Government
  • City Parks and Recreation
  • Boys State Bank
  • School Boards
  • Utilities
  • Hetuck Newspaper
  • Boys State Highway Patrol

Boys State Government Excellence Award:
Six will be presented to young men selected from State, County, City, Courts, Legislature, Bank, and other sections. Applicants must be interviewed and recommended by the Boys Nation Selection Committee.

Forty + Eight Award:
Special gavel awards presented to Speaker of the Boys State House and the President of the Boys State Senate.

Sons of the American Legion Award:
A special gavel award is presented to the Chief Justice of the Boys State Supreme Court by the Sons of the American Legion Detachment of Ohio.

Other awards:
The Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Buckeye Boys State will each receive a United States Flag which has flown over Buckeye Boys State during the week and a special gavel plaque, as part of the Graduation Ceremonies of Buckeye Boys State.