American Legion Post 25 Sends Local Students to Boys State, Girls State, and Law Cadet Academy

Each year, the American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State programs give rising high school seniors across South Carolina a powerful opportunity to learn about government, leadership, and civic responsibility. This year, American Legion Post 25 is proud to sponsor 14 young men, 4 young women, and 3 students for the South Carolina Law Cadet Academy—continuing a long-standing tradition of investing in the future leaders of Laurens County.

Boys State: A Record-Breaking Year for South Carolina

Held at Anderson University, Boys State is a weeklong, immersive program in which students build a mock government from the ground up. From campaigning for office to passing legislation, participants learn the mechanics of democracy while developing leadership and teamwork skills. In 2025, South Carolina set a new record with 1,055 attendees, the highest in the nation. Of those, 14 boys were selected from Laurens County through a competitive interview process organized by Post 25.

Boys State Selectees from Laurens High School include:
Jackson Cole, Logan Gault, Max Martin, Austin McCall, Ryan Nichols, Cody Patterson, Hunter Richardson, Jordan Stroud, Price Turner, William (Andrew) Wilkie, I’Zalon Williams, and Braden Yarbrough.

Laurens Academy was represented by:
Nathan Bell and Garrison Vaughn.

Girls State: Limited Seats, Exceptional Opportunity

Girls State, held at Presbyterian College, is equally rigorous but limited to 600 participants due to space constraints. Despite this, Post 25 proudly sponsored four students from Laurens High School and one from Laurens Academy.

2025 Girls State Delegates include:
From Laurens High School: Molly Eggleston, Mary Ellis Power, Sadie Carlisle, and Anna Penland.
From Laurens Academy: Laura (Grace) Henderson.

Law Cadet Academy: A Glimpse into Law Enforcement Careers

In addition to Boys and Girls State, Post 25 is also sending three local students to the South Carolina Law Cadet Academy—an intensive program designed to introduce students to careers in law enforcement and public safety. Participants receive hands-on instruction and training from law enforcement professionals.

2025 Law Cadet Academy participants are:
Brennan Carroll, Skye Carroll, and Kai Kohler.

A Commitment to Community and Leadership

“These programs build character and confidence in our youth and provide real-life experience in leadership, law, and public service,” said Kevin Farnsworth, Commander of American Legion Post 25. “We’re incredibly proud of the students selected this year. Their willingness to step up and lead is a sign of great things to come for our community and beyond.”

Through their continued sponsorship, American Legion Post 25 honors its mission of service to veterans, youth, and the nation by empowering the next generation of leaders from Laurens County.