Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1497871
82 | SIGNATURE MONTANA Alec "AJ" Wells, a 17-year-old Great Falls CMR High School student, spent a week last March in the nation's capital as one of two delegates from Montana. "Words cannot express how honored I was to be in the presence of our nation's greatest leaders," said Wells. AJ says his interest in government goes back as far as he can remember. When the CMR school counselor, Ms. Riki Johnson, posted information about the competitive merit-based program in the CMR Announcements, AJ quickly checked out the keynote speakers, alumni, and events and knew immediately that he wanted to apply. Not long aer, he received notice that out of 104 delegates, he was one of eight that were still juniors in high school selected to participate. e seven days in Washington DC were fast-paced and jam-packed with 17-hour days of speakers, five-star dinners with desserts resembling the Capitol Building, tours, and behind-the-scenes excursions that, according to Wells, 'few people, even those in government, are privileged to see.' ey toured National Memorials and monuments, including the U.S. Capital and Arlington National Cemetery, where they laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In the Rotunda of the U.S. National Archives, they dined in the presence of our nation's freedom charters –the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. ey had breakfast with the Surgeon General and U.S. Secretary of Education, toured the Pentagon, and enjoyed a performance by the U.S. Army Band Brass Quintet. As part of the USSYP, 17 U.S. military mentors (all officers from all branches of service) are selected under the same scrutiny and discretion as the delegates themselves and assigned to small groups. e participants learn firsthand about the Department of Defense's mission, the people who serve in and out of uniform, and how national security works with domestic institutions to deliver policy solutions at home and abroad. AJ's military mentor was US Army 1st Lieutenant Boileau, whom AJ credits as an inspiration and an outstanding ambassador for the Armed Forces. "First Lieutenant Boileau really solidified my interest in public service, and my desire to serve our great nation has increased tenfold," says Wells. AJ made many friends during the trip, some he says are likely to do great things in the future. L to R: Alec "AJ" Wells (MT), Dustin Hermansen (SD), Harjasan Singh (WI), US Army 1st Lt Ryan Boileau, Maxton Torres (FL), Jimmy Merino (MA), Jayden Speed (NE).