WHEREAS, during the week of June 11, 2012, young men from across the State of Delaware, students at the State’s public and private high schools, have come to Legislative Hall in Dover to participate in the 2012 session of Delaware Boys State; and

WHEREAS, during their stay here, these young men will receive valuable hands-on training and experience in the legislative process and in the ways of State government, which will serve them in good stead in their later lives; and

WHEREAS, the experience they receive during Boys State will prove especially useful to those among their number who go on to assume leadership roles in government or to seek elective office in the future; and

WHEREAS, the participants in Delaware Boys State, during their session, elected from among their ranks a Governor, a Lieutenant Governor, a State Treasurer, a State Auditor, a State Insurance Commissioner and members of both Houses of the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, the young men participating in the 2012 session of Boys State include:

Kalandar Schwager of Abinton Friends School, Jenkintown, PA

Logan Starr of Alexis I. DuPont High School

Patrick Fresolone of Alexis I. DuPont High School

Ryan Baumbach of Alexis I. DuPont High School

Jerome Ferguson of Appoquinimink High School

Travis Wagnon of Appoquinimink High School JROTC

Brian Gallagher of Archmere Academy

Patrick Reilly of Archmere Academy

Eevry Goren of Cab Calloway School of the Arts

Sam Katz of Cab Calloway School of the Arts

Zachary Opdenaker of Cab Calloway School of the Arts

Kevin Dunkleberger of Caesar Rodney High School

Marc Garduno, Jr., of Caesar Rodney High School

Brooks Emery of Cape Henlopen High School

Trevor Aldred of Cape Henlopen High School

Colby Garbutt of Cape Henlopen High School JROTC

Jake Mocci of Cape Henlopen High School JROTC

John Connolly of Charter School of Wilmington

David Crain of Charter School of Wilmington

Nicholas Gutsche of Charter School of Wilmngton

Edward Wayland, Jr., of Christiana High School

Sean Twitchell of Christiana High School

Ian Scott of Concord High School

Jared Messick of Delmar High School

Joshua Elliott of Delmar High School

Marshall Oppel of Delmarva Christian High School

Zachary Vaughan of Delmarva Christian High School

Aaron Schilling of Dickinson High School

Brock Trexler of Delaware Military Academy

Bryson Baese of Delaware Military Academy

Chi Tima of Delaware Military Academy

Donald Wiegner of Delaware Military Academy

Hunter Freeman of Delaware Military Academy

Ian Bruce of Delaware Military Academy

Joseph Certesio of Delaware Military Academy

Ryan Thompson of Delaware Military Academy

Shawn Butler of Delaware Military Academy

Joshua Lewandowski of Dover High School

Bowman Benge of Wilmington Friends School

William Maguire of Wilmington Friends School

George Kaczmarczyk of Henry C. Conrad Schools of Science

Austin Roadarmel of Indian River High School

Jacob Martin of Indian River High School

Kees Elling of Indian River High School

Joseph Ransone of Indian River High School JROTC

Matthew Hill of Lake Forest High School

Coty Lineweaver of Laurel High School

Edwin Zavala of McKean High School

Greg Donnelly of Middletown High School

Joshua Leach of Middletown High School

Michael Dillon of Middletown High School

Michael Scott of Middletown High School

Aldrin Brillante of Middletown High School JROTC

Keith Young of Middletown High School JROTC

Michael Recupido of Middletown High School JROTC

Sean Bowers of Middletown High School JROTC

James Garrett of Mt. Pleasant High School JROTC

Mark Hodgson of Mt. Pleasant High School JROTC

Benjamin Helton of Newark High School

John Micklos of Newark High School

Darnell Jones of Polytech High School JROTC

Patrick Coleman of Polytech High School JROTC

Aidan O’Sullivan of Salesianum School

Brian Mahon of Salesianum School

Ethan Showalter of Salesianum School

Michael Kane of Salesianum School

Patrick Boyd of Salesianum School

Patrick Maraenco of Salesianum School

Paul McCormac of Salesianum School

Stephen Gallo of Salesianum School

Zachary Smith of Salesianum School

John Coburn of Sanford School

Robert Absihek of Sanford School

Carter Moore of Seaford High School JROTC

Matthew DiSalvo of Seaford High School JROTC

Austen Minner of Smyrna High School

Jacob Stoner of Smyrna High School

Robert Conte of St. Elizabeth High School

Benjamin Keeper of St. Mark’s High School

Bryce Cooper of St. Mark’s High School

Brendan Smith of St. Thomas More Academy

Mathew McCalister of St. Thomas More Acadmey

Matthew Conlin of St. Thomas More Academy

Michael McNeely of St. Thomas More Academy

Alex Robb of Sussex Central High School

James Tober of Sussex Central High School

Ryan Boucher of Sussex Central High School

Ian Cain of Sussex Central High School JROTC

Michael Vitacco of Sussex Central High School JROTC

Joseph Yawn of Sussex Technical High School

Kasimir Yakimowicz of Sussex Technical High School

Michael Dopler of Sussex Technical High School

Priyen Patel of Sussex Technical High School

Christopher Clifton of Sussex Technical High School JROTC

Dylan Varrato of Sussex Technical High School JROTC

Aaron Greenbaum of Tower Hill School

Loreto Casuga, Jr. of William Penn High School

Deshawn Benson of William Penn High School JROTC

Jacob Kratzer of William Penn High School JROTC

Justin Jones of Woodbridge High School JROTC

WHEREAS, these young men have learned during their week-long session many of the details of the process whereby a bill becomes a law, and have debated and discussed many issues both timely and of great importance to the State of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, throughout the week the Boys State delegates have been deeply involved in a study of such subjects as the conduct of elections, the operation of the legislative caucus and committee systems, majority and minority positions and many other aspects of the political process, all of which give them valuable knowledge of the manner in which the American system of representative democracy operates; and

WHEREAS, the American Legion Department of Delaware has once again sponsored this important educational program, as they have done for many years, thereby displaying a deep dedication to the American system of government and to the essential task of ensuring that our youth understand and appreciate that system.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 146^th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the members do hereby commend each of the participants in the 2012 Boys State Session for his hard work and extend to each sincere congratulations on a very successful session at Legislative Hall.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate do hereby extend to each participant sincere best wishes for success in all his future endeavors, together with the hope that at least a few of these fine young Delawareans may one day find themselves again in the House or Senate chamber as duly elected representatives of their fellow citizens.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate do hereby commend and thank the American Legion Department of Delaware for their sponsorship of this outstanding program.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be presented to each of the delegates of the 2012 Session of the Boys State, and to the sponsor of the event, the American Legion Department of Delaware.

SPONSOR:	Rep. Gilligan & Rep. Schwartzkopf & Rep. Longhurst & Rep. Lavelle & Rep. Hocker, on behalf of all Representatives; Sen. DeLuca & Sen. Blevins & Sen. Henry & Sen. Simpson & Sen. Sorenson, on behalf of all Senators