Sawyer Ray, a student at Fayetteville High School and an Arkansas Boys State delegate, has been elected President of American Legion Boys Nation, becoming the first Arkansan in the program’s history to hold the national office.

Ray was elected by his fellow Boys Nation senators during the 80th annual session of the American Legion’s national civics program, held in and around the nation’s capital. He entered the week as one of 100 young men from across the country selected from their respective Boys State programs to serve as Boys Nation senators.

At Boys Nation, delegates form a working model of the United States Senate, organize into political parties, draft and debate legislation, set party platforms and elect national officers. Ray earned the nomination of the Nationalist Party before winning the general election for Boys Nation President.

“This is a historic and extraordinary achievement for Sawyer, Fayetteville High School, Arkansas Boys State and the entire state of Arkansas,” said Dr. Lloyd Jackson, executive director of Arkansas Boys State. “To be selected for Boys Nation is already one of the highest honors a Boys State delegate can earn. To then be chosen by peers from across the country to serve as president speaks to Sawyer’s character, preparation and ability to lead.”

Ray was sponsored to Arkansas Boys State by Shelton Tucker Craft American Legion Post 27 in Fayetteville. During Arkansas Boys State, he was one of two delegates selected by his peers to represent Arkansas at Boys Nation, a national-level civic experience focused on the operations and responsibilities of the federal government.

“Arkansas Boys State is built on the belief that democracy must be practiced, not merely studied,” Jackson said. “Sawyer’s election is a powerful example of that mission in action. He stepped into a national arena, shared his vision and earned the trust of students from across the country.”

Ray’s election adds a new chapter to Arkansas’s proud Boys Nation tradition. Past Arkansas Boys Nation senators include William Jefferson Clinton of Hot Springs, who attended Boys Nation in 1963 before later becoming President of the United States, and Tom Cotton of Dardanelle, who represented Arkansas at Boys Nation in 1994 before later serving in the United States Senate.

Founded in 1946, American Legion Boys Nation brings together top delegates from Boys State programs nationwide for a week-long experience in federal government, leadership and civic responsibility. Participants visit significant government institutions, engage with public officials and take part in a hands-on simulation of national democratic processes.

Arkansas Boys State, sponsored by The American Legion Department of Arkansas, is an immersive civics education and leadership experience for male high school juniors. Since 1940, the program has helped prepare more than 60,000 young Arkansans for lives of citizenship, public service and leadership.