WINDHAM – Two Windham students are set to represent Maine at Boys Nation, to be held in Washington, D.C., next month, after excelling at the Boys State event held recently in Waterville.

Jameson McBride and Cole Moran, both entering their senior year at Windham High School in the fall, will attend Boys Nation July 20-27. The event, which exposes two students apiece from 49 of the 50 states to the national political process, has been sponsored by the American Legion since the 1930s. The two received local American Legion sponsorships to attend the Boys State program last week, and both Moran and McBride, friends since fourth grade, will enjoy a similar all-expenses-paid trip to Boys Nation courtesy of the national American Legion organization.

According to Maine’s Boys State assistant director, Tony Tirabassi, who along with other staff chose Moran and McBride to represent Maine, it is the first time in recent memory that the two representatives hail from the same town.

“I’ve been involved in the program since I was a Boys Stater in 1975. I can tell you that this is the first time in my memory that this has ever happened. We were remarking about that at the program,” Tirabassi said. “But we do not look at what town in Maine the boys are from when we’re doing the selection process. Nothing the boys do prior to coming to the program is relevant to any of our discussions.”

While Boys Nation focuses on federal government, Boys State, which was held at Thomas College, is designed to introduce high school students to the inner workings of local, county and state government. During the four-day event, students form their own state, called Dirigo. They are split into two parties, the Federalists and Nationalists, and the participants can run for various elected positions. At the state level, students can run for Dirigo House and Dirigo Senate, in which they form and write their own bills to be considered in the Dirigo Legislature. They also can run for some of the highest offices, Dirigo governor and Dirigo Supreme Court.

“So basically it’s a process that teaches them about state, local and county government by getting them directly involved,” Tirabassi said.

This year, Moran ran for and won the coveted position of Dirigo governor, which holds veto power over bills the House and Senate produces. While Moran was at first a little hesitant about the power he wielded, he grew to embrace the position and said it helped him learn even more about state government.

“My first job was to appoint chief justice and six other justices to the Supreme Court. I also appointed a chief of staff to create the budget to go before House and Senate, and that was pretty hard, so we had to really get into the numbers,” Moran said. “From there, I either signed or vetoed bills from the House and Senate. That was my job.”

The Windham native, who had to give a speech and debate other candidates while running for the position, credits his English teacher, Jeffrey Sanders, for giving him the skills to become Boys State governor.

“My public speaking skills were really helped out by Mr. Sanders,” Moran said. “My knowledge of rhetoric from him really helped me out, from what I decided to wear to what I chose to talk about to how I chose to say it, I think that really helped me out.”

Both boys were blown away by Boys State, not knowing what the experience would offer.

“It was really awesome, better than I expected. It blew away my expectations,” said McBride, who said he is interested in a career in public service. “One of the things that most surprised me was the kind of kids that were there. They were very interested in government and politics and they all really cared, and they were all obviously brilliant, so it was awesome to work with all of them.”

McBride played a crucial role during Boys State, serving as a justice on the Dirigo Supreme Court. He was also pivotal in the election of Moran as governor, serving as the chairman of the Nationalist Party that nominated Moran.

Tirabassi was impressed with both Windham boys and said they’re both in store for a great trip in July.

“We decided [Moran] deserved to go based on what he did during the program, how he conducted himself,” Tirabassi said. “Jameson was much in the same manner – he was very articulate.”

The boys’ Boys State sponsors, American Legion Field-Allen Post 148, based in Windham, also sent Windham High School students Kiki Tringali and Haley Plante to Girls Nation, held last week at Husson College in Bangor. Members are proud to see local students being recognized on a statewide and national level.

“It makes us feel fantastic, fantastic to think that from a small town in Maine boys can go to the capital in Washington, D.C.,” Commander Barry Lombard said. “It just goes to show the positive results that can be made by us all working together and sponsoring these boys and girls going to the state and learning about what our democracy is all about.

“This can be life-changing for them. The possibilities are open-ended.”

Moran and McBride are looking forward to representing Maine at Boys Nation, where they will get a chance to meet dignitaries, including President Barack Obama.

“I am blown away by it. It’s a huge honor,” Moran said. “I’m so excited to meet all these great kids around the country, to be able to meet with our Congressional delegation, meet with the president if he’s in the country.

“I’m almost speechless. It hasn’t really sunk in yet I suppose.”

Cole Moran
Jameson McBride