2023 Boys State Elected Officials Back row (L to R): Agriculture Commissioner Eli Friesz, New Leipzig; Secretary of State Clayton Grove, Ray. Front row (L to R): State Treasurer McKade Picken, Wahpeton; Lieutenant Governor Jake Allmendinger, Fargo; Governor Patrick Shen, Fargo; ; Attorney General Kyle Johnson, Kensal.
Wahpeton, N.D. – Patrick Shen of Fargohas been elected Governor of North Dakota Boys State, a gathering of 49 participants this week on the North Dakota State College of Science campus in Wahpeton.
Sponsored by the American Legion and running from June 11-16, North Dakota Boys State brings together outstanding young men between their junior and senior years in high school. Selected from schools across North Dakota, these delegates come to the NDSCS campus for a week of activities focusing on leadership and government.
At North Dakota Boys State delegates participate in hands-on learning activities including city and county government functions, disaster simulation exercises and the publication of a daily newspaper that is written and edited by delegates.In addition to this “learning by doing” process, delegates have the opportunity to experience speeches and debates from visiting dignitaries.
In addition to electing a governor,delegates also elected the following state officeholders: Lieutenant Governor Jake Allmendinger, Fargo; Secretary of State Clayton Grove, Ray; Attorney General Kyle Johnson, Kensal; State Treasurer McKade Picken, Wahpeton; Agriculture Commissioner Eli Friesz, New Leipzig.
NDSCS has been the host of Boys State for the last 31 years. Visitors to the program include: The Hon. Jon Jensen, North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice; Joel Heitkamp, radio personality; Congressman Kelly Armstrong; Corey Mock, North Dakota House of Representatives; Art Thompson, Director of North Dakota Workforce Safety and Insurance.
Participants in the 80th annual American Legion Boys State at NDSCS include:
