San Gabriel Post 442 of The American Legion has announced the selection of six candidates to the 72^nd session of American Legion Boys State to be held at Sacramento State University from June 20^th to 27^th, 2009. Selected are Johnson Ha and Wesley Chung (Rosemead High), Michael Chang of Arcadia and Ryan Lew of Glendale (Maranatha High) and Ian Fehring of Altadena and Grant McCracken of San Gabriel (La Salle High).

Outstanding junior boys are selected to attend this unprecedented program, a one-week session to learn about government from the local to the state level. When the American Legion Boys State program was started some 73 years ago, it was seen as a step in the right direction, providing young men the opportunity to learn how government actually operates. Today the program is alive, well and flourishing, and has graduated more than 1.5 million young men. It has been a catalyst for many in politics and government service today, and continues to be a source of great pride for The American Legion.

All the boys selected from the many high schools in the San Gabriel Valley and sponsored by the various American Legion Posts throughout the area were honored at an indoctrination and dinner at West Covina Post 790 in West Covina on April 4^th, at which time they had an opportunity to learn what to expect from Boys State as well as meeting the other local students that will be attending. On hand to welcome the new delegates was the District Chairman Jim Cooper of Covina, along with several former Boys Staters and Post Chairmen from the spon-soring Posts. A special guest speaker will be Andre Quintero of El Monte, 1991 Governor of California Boys State and alumna of Boys Nation when he was a junior at Arroyo High School, sponsored by El Monte Post 261. The students will be leaving from West Covina Post 790 on Friday evening, June 19^th for their overnight ride to an experience of a lifetime.