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Senators learn story behind the national anthem during Fort McHenry visit, elect senate secretary and continue 35-year tradition with visit to Maryland post. 

Arizona Boys Nation senator Charlie Nelles knew that Francis Scott Key wrote the United States’ national anthem. But he didn’t know the entire story behind “The Star-Spangled Banner” – that is, until he and the program’s 99 other senators made the program’s annual trip to Fort McHenry in Baltimore on Sunday.

Boys Nation Assistant Director Corey Brooks provided Key’s backstory before the group watched a video with additional details about that fateful September day in 1814. Nelles didn’t know that Key was strongly opposed to the U.S.’s declaration of war against Great Britain, nor that the reason he ended up on a British ship on its way to attacking the fort was because he was trying to assist with negotiating the release of a friend who had been imprisoned on one of the ships and was to sail to England to be put on trial.

Key and others were able to obtain the release of Dr. William Beanes – who had provided food and lodging to British troops earlier – but Key and the others were detained temporarily so they could not share the British plan to attack the fort. The morning following the battle and from a British ship, Key saw the fort’s defender raise the U.S. flag – inspiring his famous words.

“All I knew was that Francis Scott Key wrote it out in the harbor,” Nelles said. “Learning that he was unhappy with the war and trying to get someone released who had abetted the British, it just makes it all the more impressive how great the national anthem is and how much of a message it sends about Americanism. The person who wrote it, a couple weeks ago or even days ago, didn’t like America.

“But seeing how we defended ourselves at Fort McHenry and seeing the flag still standing, (Key was) able to write such a patriotic song about the values that America holds dear.”

A senior at Brophy College Preparatory in Scottsdale, Nelles said offsite visits such as the one to Fort McHenry adds another layer to Boys Nation.

“It just makes the trip more valuable,” he said. “I appreciate being in the Senate and being able to hear people and debate things. But then going out and seeing the values we talk about in practice, and seeing our nation’s history and all of the different things that we’re discussing about in the Senate out in about. Learning about the American flag that we say a pledge to at the start of every session, it just makes it like tying the lesson together about what we’re doing in the Senate. Then we can go back and be even more trying to solve our nation’s problems.”

Following learning more about Key and the anthem, the senators were able to hoist and lower a U.S. flag on the fort’s famous pole and then tour the area inside the fort.

Utah Senator Elected Secretary. On Sunday, the senate elected its secretary, Yamato Lerwill of Salt Lake City, Utah. A Nationalist member of the Washington Section, Lerwill and Idaho’s J.C. Morgenstern went neck-and-neck throughout the voting before Lerwill won the final vote 52-46.

“This is like a cliché thing that everyone says, but you have nothing to lose, really,” Lerwill said. “I decided I’m going to run for the secretary position and do my best. And if my best isn’t good enough, then there’s definitely another qualified candidate up there. So, I went in there thinking I would love this position, but I’d be completely fine if someone else won it. But I’m so grateful that I’m here and some grateful it worked out.”

The secretary maintains the journal of the Boys Nation Senate and examines all bills, amendments and resolutions. “My slogan – ‘Everyone here keeps their feet on the gas’ – I feel like we can’t do that if we’re not organized,” Lerwill said. “If (bills) aren’t flowing, that’s my job to make them start flowing so we can get to as many great ideas as we possibly can.”

The complete list of senate officers:

·       President Pro Tempore: Dominic Mimbang, Ga. (GA - Federalist)

·       Secretary of the Senate: Yamato Lerwill , Utah

·       Asst. Secretary of the Senate: John Morgenstern, Idaho

·       Asst. Secretary of the Senate: Luke Zhong, Pa.

·       Chief Clerk of the Senate: Ahbi Patel, Tenn. 

·       Assistant Clerk of the Senate: Gabriel Rhodes, N.Y.

·       Senate Sergeant-At-Arms: Brodie Lyle, Colo.

·       Senate Sergeant-At-Arms: Stuart Young, Ore.

·       Senate Chaplain: Gabriel Lencioni, Mich.

·       Senate Parliamentarian: Ian Lee-Kim, Ark.

A 35-Year Tradition. For 49 years, Past Post Commander Mike Moore has been a member of Greenbelt American Legion Post 136 in Greenbelt, Md. And for 35 years of that membership, Boys Nation has made a dinner visit to the post for “Legion Night.”

And Moore calls that visit a gift. “We’re in Prince George’s County. In 1790, Prince George’s County gave the land for what is now Washington, D.C.,” he said. “That was our gift to the nation. The nation’s gift to us are these Boys Nation boys.”

Moore said the evening “really changes your perspective about today’s youth. You see all these crazy stories, and then the boys come in here and they just refresh you. They care about the country. It’s such a wonderful experience.”

The post’s Legion Family was in the kitchen and outside on the grill early Sunday morning to provide food that included Baltimore staple pit beef. Multiple department and national American Legion Family leaders attended the event, including National Commander James LaCoursiere Jr., National Adjutant Rodney Rolland, National Chaplain Daniel DePozo, Sons of 91Ӱ���ƽ�� National Commander Joseph Navarrette, Past American Legion Auxiliary National Presidents Linda Newsome and Sandi Dutton, and both Department of Maryland Commander Nikki Randolph and immediate Past Department Commander David Heredia.

LaCoursiere congratulated the senators for what he said was “no small feat. You were chosen because people back home saw something in you: leadership, character and potential. And I have to say, standing here looking at all of you, I see it, too.”

LaCoursiere noted that 250 years ago a group of citizens decided they wanted a better life based on freedom and equality. “Now, here we are 250 years later,” he said. “The country they built is still standing, still strong, but it’s still a work in progress. And now, it’s your turn to carry the torch.

“Boys Nation isn’t about memorizing how government works. It’s about doing it. It’s about understanding that democracy is a team sport. And every one of you, whether you run for office someday, serve in the uniform, teach, build or just vote in every election, you have an important role to play.”

Randolph urged the senators to share their experiences with others once their class heads back home. “When you return back to your home states and your school next year, that you be ambassadors for Boys State,” she said. “You talk to every student that you come by that is eligible to join Boys State next year. I encourage you and I challenge you to recruit three people to come to Boys State: one to replace you and two buddies to go with him.”

Follow the happenings at American Legion Boys Nation (#BoysNation2025):

·       Web: legion.org/boysnation

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·       X: @ALBoysNation

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