By M. Scott Carter
Zach Milvo didn’t plan on becoming the 2009 Governor of Boys State.
It just sorta’ happened.
But by the time this 17-year-old Southmoore senior left the campus of Northeastern Oklahoma State University, he knew what it was like to serve as the chief executive of a large, raucous group of people.
He also learned a great deal about government.
And people.
And politics.
“I didn’t know that to expect,” he said. “We were chosen by our counselors, then representatives from the Moore District of the American Legion came to school and interviewed us.”
Zach survived the cuts and made it to Boy’s State. But even there, he didn’t know what to expect.
“The first three days were kinda chaotic. But after a while it settled down and got fun.”
And as the fun started, Zach bonded with the men of his fictional Boys State city and displayed some natural political skill.
“Once I got started, the guys in my city rallied around me,” he said. “That’s when I thought I might have a chance. I figured if your gonna go you might as well go for the top position.”
Getting there, he said, was revealing.
“It was interesting to see just how much politics brewed into the equation. It surprised me to a certain degree.”
Politics or not, Zach was elected governor and presided over the executive branch of the Boy’s State government. “I dealt with two different Senates,” he said. “They would develop a piece of legislation, then we’d discuss it. If we liked it, it passed — if it was Constitutional. If the executive branch didn’t like it, I vetoed it.”
As an example, he cited a piece of education legislation.
“This was a bill that said the state should increase the salary of every public school teacher by $2,500. It also included a penalty that would fine district’s who didn’t increase pay $10,000.”
Milvo said the bill quickly became controversial.
“Eventually, we hammered out a compromise. It still called for the increased salaries, but instead of the fine, it place the district on probation.”
Call it a quick lesson in the art of politics.
But a lesson that, Zach said, he took to heart.
“I learned a whole lot. I think there’s been sort of a leadership gap,” he said. “But being around the guys I was around at Boys State instilled in me a great hope. It definitely inspired me to keep on serving.”
Boys State, he said, also showed him how many feel about their country.
“Just rallying seeing those people around me, at first I didn’t understand. But now, after the experience, I really understand how much this country means to some people. Like the organizers. When they look at those flags it means everything to them. It was a big awakening.”
Just back from the trip, Zach won’t have long to rest.
On July 17, he leaves for Boys Nation.
There, he’ll be one of 98 high school student representatives throughout the U.S. chosen to attend The American Legion Boys Nation.
Zach is one of two delegates selected from Oklahoma, based on leadership skills, academic record and activity at American Legion Boys State. The Boys Nation week-long program introduces the senators to the structure and function of the federal government while combining lectures and forums with visitations to federal agencies, institutions, memorials and historical spots in and around Washington, D.C.
The event will be held a Marymount University in Arlington, Va.
“It should be an incredible experience,” Zach said. “Boys State was great, and I expect this trip to top that.”
