Program History

Badger Boys State was established by the American Legion to educate young leaders about citizenship and civic responsibility.

The first session of Badger Boys State was held in 1939 at St. John’s Military Academy in Delafield. In 1941, Badger Boys State was relocated to Ripon College. The program was suspended due to World War II from 1943 until 1945, as well as from 2020 to 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, but has been held ever since, currently at UW-Eau Claire since 2022.

2025 will mark the 82nd session of Badger Boys State.

Notable Alumni

YEARALUMACCOMPLISHMENTS OF NOTE
1985Scott Walker45th Governor of Wisconsin (2011-2019)
1975Brad SmithPresident of Microsoft (2015-Present)
1957Al Jarreau7x Grammy Winning Singer (1967-2017)
1957Daniel Travanti2x Emmy Winning Actor (1958-Present)
1956Martin Schrieber39th Governor of Wisconsin (1977-1979)


Former Governors

YEARGOVERNORHOMETOWN
2024Jon OrthRacine
2023Silas ToppeMequon
2022Luke NemoirNew Berlin
2021None - Session Cancelled due to CovidN/A
2020None - Session Cancelled due to CovidN/A
2019Dylan BradleyMequon
2018Malik StaudeOconomowoc
2017Kellen SharpMilwaukee
2016Kadin HendricksDe Pere
2015Jacob MalinowskiGreendale


Former Boys Nation Senators

YEARSENATORHOMETOWN
2024Oscar DanzSolon Springs
2024Matthew GoninenMineral Point
2023Henry PahlowMaribel
2023Ruben MendesGermantown
2022Andriy OvodCedarburg
2022Naod FessahayeMilwaukee
2021None - Session Cancelled due to CovidN/A
2020None - Session Cancelled due to CovidN/A
2019Manish RajNeenah
2019Isaiah PlaceLancaster
2018Bennett ArtmanMilwaukee
2018Grant HemingerFranklin
2017Gage PillsburyShawano
2017Samuel ButlerBalsam Lake
2016Joseph ChandlerPlymouth
2016Samuel NicholsonMonroe
2015Jacob MalinowskiGreendale
2015Ryan LathamBoscobel