FLEMING ISLAND – By the time Brady White heard his name announced for a leading position in the American Legion’s Boys Nation, he had given up hope of winning a top office in the American Legion program.

“I honestly don’t remember what kind of happened,” the senior at Fleming Island High said. “I was tearing up. It was crazy.”

White became the first student from the county to be selected as a senator for the program than includes “civic training, leadership development and a focus on Americanism,” he said.

White wants to be an attorney, so his training at the state level will create a broader base of knowledge. His credentials already include being the senior class secretary and National Honor Society senior membership coordinator. His other activities include being Chairman of the Clay County Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, the only student ex officio board member of the Clay Education Foundation, an attorney at the Clay County Teen Court, Clay County Teen Court FSU Mock Trial Team, winner of the Gold President’s Volunteer Service Award, Youth Leadership Jacksonville delegate, blue ribbon at the county science fair and Clay County Agricultural Fairgrounds, an ISEF nomination in 2020 and varsity swimming.

He was the youngest intern for U.S. Congresswoman Kat Cammack and was an intern on the campaign for Senator Marco Rubio.

White said during his eight days at American Legion Boys Nation, 100 aspiring senators got a hands-on approach to how the U.S. Senate and federal government function. They were divided into two political parties – the Federalists and the Nationalists. Each conducted a party convention, set a platform and nominated members for elected offices, including Boys Nation president, vice president and party leaders.

Each senator also wrote, introduced and debated a bill before an appropriate Senate committee. If successful, the bill was debated in front of the entire Senate. Bills passing the Senate are later signed or vetoed by the Boys Nation president.

White originally wanted to be selected as the Boys Nation Attorney General. He went through several rounds of rigorous questioning ahead of the final selections.

“They drilled you on just about every issue,” he said.

He was bypassed as a delegate or alternate during the awards ceremony.

“And then they said, ‘the first senator going to Boys Nation on behalf of Florida will be Brady White,’” he said.

White was supposed to meet President Joe Biden, but he was quarantined after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus.

“But I got to meet his dog instead,” White said.

The American Legion spends $300,000 a year to sponsor the program.