Old Rochester Regional High School rising senior Eddie Gonet has been selected as a senator for American Legion Boys Nation in the Washington, D.C. area, from July 23 to 30.

Boys Nation is an annual American Legion program that includes civic training, leadership development and a focus on Americanism. At Boys State last month, he was elected Governor of his state.

At ORl, Gonet is a student council senator, executive student council secretary, and statewide student council representative. His other activities include founder of Cultural Clubs of America, debate team captain, mock trial attorney and a member of the drama club, chorus and acapella groups. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Congressional Award Gold Medalist 2021 and Presidential Volunteer Service Award Gold Medalist.

A school choice student from Fairhaven, he plans to attend UPenn, Northeastern or Cornell and study corporate law.

During their eight days at Boys Nation, 100 “senators” will learn from a hands-on approach how the U.S. Senate and the federal government function. Young men are divided into two political parties, the Federalists and the Nationalists, each of which conducts a party convention, sets a platform and nominates members for elected offices, including Boys Nation president, vice president and party leaders. Each senator will also write, introduce and debate a bill of his choosing before an appropriate Senate committee, and if successful at that level the legislation will be voted on by the whole Senate. Bills passing the Senate are later signed or vetoed by the Boys Nation president.

This year’s crop of Boys Nation senators represent the best of nearly 17,000 incoming seniors who attended Boys State programs.