Boys Nation Day 3: Be a dreamer, be a ‘thermostat’

There is no shortage when it comes to the success already achieved by the senators of American Legion Boys Nation 2018, not with entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders of their peers in the mix.

But there’s still room to grow for these 100 rising seniors, and they received encouragement to do so from the Legion’s national commander and national chaplain in separate speeches Sunday.

“Be a dreamer. Be a trailblazer,” National Chaplain Robert Vick said during Sunday morning’s memorial service at Marymount University. “When the naysayers tell you that it can’t be done, do it.

“I think about dreamers and what they’ve accomplished in this world. … There’s never been a discovery that was made without somebody having a dream. The discovery in most cases is probably accidental, but it was based on the fact that somebody had a dream and was willing to extend his efforts to something that would benefit mankind.”

Vick added, “I pray that you will be dreamers and be a living sacrifice. Do something that benefits someone other than you. Stand up and stand out.”

Sunday night, as the senators were dinner guests at Post 136 in Greenbelt, Md., National Commander Denise H. Rohan talked about a metaphor her father taught her — the difference between a thermometer, which adjusts to the temperature of the room, and a thermostat, which sets the temperature.

“You can live your life like a thermometer, or a thermostat,” Rohan said. “You can either blend in with the crowd or you can change the crowd. You either influence others or they are going to be influencing you.

“I believe that you are here this week because your school counselors and your Legion Boys State programs have identified each and every one of you as thermostats. They put their trust in you to have an influence in our country’s future,” she added.

More from Sunday

• President pro tempore Sahil Inaganti of Pennsylvania appointed Federalist Jacob Dennis of Washington as chief clerk; Federalist Henry Lear of South Carolina as assistant clerk; Federalist Milan Chandy of Pennsylvania as senate parliamentarian; Federalist Jake Snyder of Ohio as senate chaplain; Nationalist Wilson Russ of Louisiana as first sergeant-at-arms; and Nationalist William Barcena of Georgia as second sergeant-at-arms.

• Secretary of the senate Hap Waddell of Kansas appointed Federalist Rohan Kumar of New Hampshire and Nationalist Jesse Wren of Missouri as assistants.

• Marion Smith, the executive director of Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and an alumnus of Palmetto Boys State in South Carolina, spoke to the senators Sunday afternoon. “It is vital to the nation that The American Legion is recruiting and educating these students, and I think statistically it is very likely that these are the people that are going to be involved in local government and national politics,” he said afterward.

• After the visit to Greenbelt, the senators headed to the National Mall to see the World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Lincoln memorials.

Follow the happenings at American Legion Boys Nation 2018 here on legion.org and on social media using the hashtag #BoysNation2018.