Local teen wins mock campaign

Michael Miller

Max Ukropina already has experience running for office. The

17-year-old Corona del Mar High School senior will serve as his

school’s student body president in the fall.

Recently, though, Max got more practice campaigning -- and made

history in the process. June 23, he became the first Newport Beach

resident to be elected governor of California Boys State.

“I was just deeply humbled by the entire experience,” Max said. “I

was very surprised to be elected governor, but it was even more of an

honor to be elected to Boys State -- just to be part of the 941 boys

who were there. That was the greatest honor in itself.”

Boys State, a nationwide program, was formed by the American

Legion in Illinois in 1935 to help combat fascism. Since then, the

weeklong course on the workings of a democratic society has spread to

all other states.

This spring, American Legion Post 291 selected 12 high school

juniors from Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine and Costa Mesa

to travel to the annual conference in Sacramento. At the event,

participants enter mock trials and other educational activities to

learn the processes of government.

Toward the end, delegates also join in mock elections for city,

county and state offices. Boys State separates participants at random

into two parties -- Whigs and Federalists -- and has them circulate

petitions, make speeches and campaign outside the cafeteria. Max was

nominated for the Federalist ticket and beat out 12 opponents in a

primary, then topped his Whig contender for the governorship.

Once the week ended, Max returned to Southern California; governor

of Boys State is merely an honorary title. Still, running a major

campaign, even in a fictional setting, gave him insight into the

electoral process.

“It’s not really about politics, whether you’re conservative or

liberal,” Max said. “It’s structured so you never really get into big

topics until later, when you’re already elected. It’s more your

personality, your work ethic, your patriotism and whatnot.”

Max was one of four Newport-Mesa students who went to Boys State

this year. Joining him were Dan Furman of Newport Harbor High, and

Lincoln Tran and John Dang from Costa Mesa High.

Steven Spriggs, the first vice commander of Post 291 who oversaw

the student interviews, said Max scored highly even amid strong

competition.

“We interviewed 25 boys for 12 positions and he was the second

highest position of all of them,” Spriggs said. “He’s a very charming

young man, very self-effacing, not full of himself, a hard worker.”

Despite only having an honorary governor’s title, Max kept a busy

political schedule in the days after his election. He left Boys State

early to speak at the American Legion convention in Palm Springs, and

afterward he attended the YMCA’s youth conference on national affairs

in North Carolina as a representative of his state.

A memorable moment of the week in Sacramento, Max said, was the

day he met Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“He shook my hand and said, ‘You look like a governor,’” Max said.