American Legion Buckeye Boys State will be held June 8-15 at Bowling Green State University.
The following Wood County boys, all juniors in high school, have been selected to attend.
American Legion Post 45 is sponsoring Jeremy Chambers, Andrew Codding, Mitchell Gardner, Jacob Schultz,
Steven Speck, Noah Wagner and Brandon Willinger.
At Bowling Green High School, Chambers is the class of 2015 class representative and a member of FFA. He
also plays hockey and baseball. He is the son of Jeremy and Brandy Chambers.
Codding belongs to Model United Nation and quiz bowl, and plays in the band at BGHS. He is also a Boy
Scout, Eagle Scout and basketball referee, and a member of the bicycle safety commission. He is the son
of Charles and Jennifer Codding.
Gardner is active in varsity basketball, varsity cross country, high school golf and the Madrigals at
BGHS. He is a also a vocal performer with his church where he is a member of the bible study group. He
volunteers with Upward basketball and the Wood County Humane Society. He is the son of Gary and Sallie
Gardner.
At BGHS, Schultz does marching and symphonic and jazz bands, and track. The son of Ellie and Jeff
Schultz, he also plays club soccer and is a member of the North Coast Ohio Chapter of the Antique and
Classic Boat Safety.
Speck is vice president of FFA at BGHS, where he also is active in football, key club and student
activities board. He also participates in 4-H, junior fair board and bible study at Christ Lutheran
Church. He is the son of Steve and Patti Speck.
At BGHS, Wagner is on the varsity football team and was the 2012 Republican Club campaign manager. He is
also active in Boy Scouts, where he is an Eagle Scout, and the youth group at St. Mark’s Lutheran
Church. He is the son of Tom and Lisa Wagner.
Willinger is president of Model United Nations, a leader of improv troupe, and a member of drama club,
human trafficking awareness troupe and French Club at BGHS. He is also a Boy Scout. He is the son of
Michelle Fitzgerald.
Representing Bradner Post 338 are David Murphy, Austin James, Matthew Wagner and Ricky Taulker III.
Murphy is active in Lakota High School’s school choir group Fantasm and the choir. He is also a member of
student council and assistant teaches a fifth and sixth-grade musical group. His guardian is Erma
Reinhart.
James is the son of Terry and Shannon James and attends Lakota HS, where he plays football and baseball.
He has also traveled to Puerto Rico with Spanish class, and has been in the musicals “Willy Wonka and
the Chocolate Factory” and “The King and I.” He is a member of St. James Lutheran Church and works at
Mad Dawgs.
Wagner attends Elmwood High School, where he is involved in track and cross country, band and newspaper.
The son of Nick and Cherie Wagner, he is a member of Christ Church and its youth group. He also goes on
mission trips and shows horses.
Taulker III is vice president of student council at Lakota HS and a member of National Honor Society. He
plays basketball, baseball and ACME baseball. The son of Rick and Sharon Taulker, he works at Taco Bell
and likes to draw.
Lybarger-Grimm Post 441,Tontogany, is sponsoring Jeffrey Agan Jr., Andrew Michaelis and Joshua Horseman.

Agan is the son of Jeffrey and Lorrie Agan. He is the drum major for the Otsego Marching Knights. He is
also involving in choral, a capella, barbershop, and marching, jazz, swing and concert bands.
Horseman is involved in soccer, basketball, baseball, chorale, men’s choir, swing choir, musical, NHS and
Boy Scouts. He is the son of Jeffrey and Sheila Horseman.
Michaelis participates in basketball, soccer, NHS, jazz band, musicals, YMCA, Junior Fair board and
Tontogany Four Leaf Clovers 4-H. He is the son of Doug and Linda Michaelis. He is also in Boy Scouts and
has earned the Eagle Scout award.
Grand Rapids Post 232 has selected Logan Beardsley, Brian Zapiecki and Trevor Zapiecki.
Beardsley is a senior patrol leader and librarian with Boy Scouts. He participates in basketball,
football and track and is a member of National Honor Society. He is the son of John and Angela
Beardsley.
Brian Zapiecki is the son of Thomas and Karen Zapiecki. He is involved in soccer, track, book and media
club, drama club, Teen Institute, student council, marching band and swing choir. He is also a Boy
Scout.
Trevor Zapiecki participates in drama club, pep band, musicals, book and media club, jazz band and swing
choir. He is the son of Thomas and Karen Zapiecki.
Frederick Balmoria is being sponsored by Weston Post 409. The son of Michael and Polly Balmoria, he is
involved in cross country, track and field, FFA, Boy Scouts and youth group.
Wood County Council of the American Legion is sponsoring Justen Garmenn, Stephen Sutton and Byron Swartz.

Garmenn is involved in football, soccer, golf, basketball, swing choir, Knightmusik, octet, quartet,
musicals, National Honor Society and FFA. He is the son of Daren and Lorena Garmenn.
Sutton attends Northwood High School, where he is involved in baseball, basketball and musicals. His
favorite subject is chemistry. He is the son of Aeron and Joyce Sutton.
Swartz goes to Lake High School, where he is involved in student council and Students in Action, as the
executive director of a 5K run/walk. He is the son of Scott and Beth Swartz.
Pemberville American Legion Post 183 is sponsoring Tyler McCrory, Zach Jacoby and Tim Dennis, who all
attend Eastwood High School.
The son of Jenna Lojewski, McCrory is in NHS, basketball and track and field. He enjoys weightlifting,
martial arts and judo.
Jacoby is a member of People Inc. and NHS, and participates in basketball and track and field. The son of
Shawn and Mary Jacoby, he is a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
Dennis plays on the Eastwood soccer team, and volunteers at church and for a food pantry. He is the son
of Chad and Stacey Dennis.
Lucas Friess, Adam Snyder and Aaron Titkemeier, who are all Eastwood students, are being sponsored by
Troy-Webster American Legion Post 240.
Friess is a member of NHS, Key Club and People Inc. He participates in track and field and football. The
son of Jodie and Andy Friess, he works at McDonald’s and volunteers with Special Olympics and vacation
bible school at his church.
Snyder is a member of the marching band, Tri-M and was in the musical. The son of Kim Snyder, he
volunteers at Priceless Pancakes at First United Presbyterian Church in Pemberville.
Titkemeier is a a member of quiz bowl, Tri-M and the band. He also volunteers at Priceless Pancakes. He
is the son of Howard and Connie Titkemeier.