By Mindy Ragan Wood
Staff Writer
A Piedmont High School senior will begin his last year of school with an experience that has left a lasting impression on his life following a trip to the nation’s Capital.
Tobias Johnson, son of Trinity and Emily Johnson, was selected as a senator to the American Legion Boys Nation last month and just returned from Boys Nation training and development.
Boys Nation is an annual American Legion program that includes civic training, leadership development and a focus on Americanism. Johnson was previously elected to City Council at Oklahoma Boys State, which had roughly 380 participants. He was joined by Cal Stroud of Norman High School in representing Oklahoma at Boys Nation.
During their eight days at Boys Nation, 100 senators, comprised of two from each state with the exception of Hawaii, and the District of Columbia, learned from a hands-on approach how the U.S. Senate and the federal government function.
Young men are divided into two political parties, the Federalists and the Nationalists, each of which conducts a party convention, sets a platform and nominates members for elected offices, including Boys Nation president, vice president and party leaders. Each senator was expected to write a bill.
Johnson said he sought the opportunity to represent Oklahoma and “meet fantastic student leaders from across the nation, and see our nation’s capitol.”
SIGNIFICANT MONUMENTS
Among the sites he visited, the National Mall and its monuments impacted him the most.
“Touring the National Mall was an inspiring experience that left me at a loss for words,” he said in an email to the Piedmont-Surrey Gazette. “It’s difficult to pick a favorite monument, but the one that left the biggest impression on me was the Vietnam Wall Memorial. As Boys Nation is an American Legion program, veterans serve in the leadership and administrative positions. They also toured the monuments with us, and it was incredible to tour the Vietnam Wall Memorial with veterans who had chosen to serve their country and fight in the Vietnam War. Some of these veterans told us stories about their experiences and people who had served with them and made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. This, combined with the sheer number of names on the wall that represented veterans who had made the ultimate sacrifice in the war made this the most awe-inspiring experience that I had.”
NATIONAL ISSUES
The eight-day session taught Johnson about national issues and more importantly how to make contributions in Washington.
“I learned a few valuable lessons such as how to engage with other talented and intelligent leaders, how to discuss politics with people who disagree with my point of view and more information about how our federal government works,” he said. “In addition, I gained a deeper respect for our country and our nation’s veterans. I hope to take these lessons with me for the rest of my life. In the future, I’ll serve as a counselor at Oklahoma Boys State and hopefully Boys Nation.”
Johnson said he was a member of the pre-assigned Nationalist party whose conventions provided insight into the way a two-party political system works.
Learning to write a bill brought forward the issues that Johnson hopes to see improve in the future.
“I’m mostly concerned with fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, government transparency, and the proper function of our constitutional system,” he said. “I wrote a constitutional amendment that would’ve limited all bills and resolutions (with a few exceptions, such as general revenue and appropriations) to one subject. This would’ve promoted transparency and efficiency in our federal legislature.”
COLLEGE PLANS
Johnson intends to attend an Ivy League university and pursue a degree in law.
“I hope to attend either Harvard or Columbia University and major in political science and economics before pursuing a Juris Doctorate degree at Yale Law School,” he said. “Upon graduation, I plan to clerk for a Supreme Court Justice and then work for the Becket Fund, which is a religious liberty nonprofit law firm in Washington D.C. before pursuing a career in public service. In all that I do, I try to serve and make our nation and world a better place. As our 35th President John F. Kennedy said, ‘My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country.’ This is one of my biggest life goals, and I strive to serve our nation and community above all else in everything that I do.”
BUSY TIMES IN HIGH SCHOOL
His high school career has been a busy one, filled with hard work but not without the reward of his efforts.
He served as President, Vice President and Publicist/Historian on Student Council; President of Gameday Operations for Football and Basketball; Academic Team Captain; and Chairman and Executive Committee Member of Philanthropy Week. His activities include PA Announcer for Varsity Football and Basketball; Chairman of Oklahoma Hall of Fame Teen Board; Student Newspaper; Junior Marshal; Piedmont Football; National Honor Society; Oklahoma Honor Society; Youth Leadership Oklahoma; and Hugh O’Brian Leadership Ambassador Advisory Committee. He has served as Oklahoma Association of Student Councils State President and was Piedmont High School Student of the Year.
“I am constantly looking to serve in any way that I can, whether that be at the high school, in the community, or our state or nation. My passion is to make everything that I’m involved in better. In addition, I want to make the most of my talents, abilities, and ambition to accomplish as much as possible,” he said.
Johnson said the one person who influenced him most during his lifetime is his father.
“My father has been my biggest influence and role model growing up with his constant commitment to excellence, strong moral principles, and hard work ethic. I aim to be like him in all that I do,” he said.
