Area Students Selected to Attend Boys State in Austin

by Tony Vindell/LFN

Three area students will be learning first-hand how state government works.

La Feria American Legion Post 439 has selected Diego Ochoa and Jacob Garza rom La Feria and Andrew Ethan Garcia from Santa Rosa school districts to attend a week long program at the state capitol this coming June in Austin.

Ochoa, son of Carlos and Rosa Ochoa, participates in UIL Math and Science teams is vice president of BPA, member of NHS and a member of the winning Masterminds team. He plans to study electrical engineering at the University of Southern California.

Garza, son of Jose and Yolanda Garza, participates in UIL Math and Science, played varsity football and basketball and is a member of both NHS and student council. He plans to study pharmacy at University of Texas at Austin.

Garcia, son of Jaime and Nidia Flores, has strong academic standing and exhibits excellent leadership skills. He is junior class president, Rio Grande Valley Lead Ambassador (RGV Lead), BPA, UIL and STEMS club member.

Pete Flores, an AL officer, said the students were chosen from a list of candidates submitted by school counselors.

‘This is a good program.” he said. “We send them to Austin to learn about state and county governments.”

He said AL pays for expenses such as transportation and takes care of lodging and meals.

The trip is set for June 10 and an orientation session with the students and their parents will take place at 1 p.m. at La Feria American Legion hall.

Flores said the students trip is are part of a nationwide program called American Legion Boys State.

It was founded in 1935 and is based on the ideas of two legionnaires from the state of Illinois – Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card.

Flores said each AL post is in charge of choosing students from their respective school districts.

At the end of the weeklong program, all the students attending the crash course on government get to elect a governmental body, including a governor.