Father Steven Boes Inaugurated Fifth Boys Town Director
Ceremony Celebrates Fifth Director in 88-year History

For only the fourth time since its founding by famed Father Edward J. Flanagan in 1917, Boys Town inaugurated a new Executive Director on July 1, 2005, Father Steven E. Boes.

The 46-year-old Catholic priest succeeds Father Val J. Peter, who retired as the director of the national nonprofit, nonsectarian child-care organization, which cares for 43,000 children from 19 sites in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

Boes assumed the post in a ceremony in which he was presented the Village of Boys Town flag, Father Flanagan’s Bible and a stone from Father Flanagan’s original home in Ballymoe, Ireland.

“In 1938, Father Flanagan set the goal of having a Boys Town in every state in the Union,” Father Boes said in his inaugural address. “We will continue to move forward until we make his dream a reality in all 50 states.” Boes added, “Our kids have a miracle locked up inside of them and our staff and programs make that miracle happen every day, whether it is in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago or Texas.”

Father Boes’ selection was part of a national search. Before taking the Boys Town post, Father Boes worked with Native American children at St. Augustine Indian Mission in Winnebago, Neb. In this position he learned to work with children of all faiths, especially Native American children and their unique culture and spirituality.

He is a native of Carroll, Iowa, and long-time resident of Elgin, Neb. A graduate of Pope John Central Catholic High School in Elgin, he holds a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in sociology from St. John Vianney College Seminary, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.; master’s degrees in theology and divinity from the St. Paul Seminary College, University of St. Thomas; and a master’s in counseling from Creighton University in Omaha. Father Boes is the oldest of six children born to Eugene and Mary Jane (Nepple) Boes of Elgin.

Father Peter will become Executive Director Emeritus and remain as pastor of Dowd Catholic Chapel on the Boys Town campus.

Father Flanagan’s Boys Town is a national leader in the treatment and care of abused, abandoned and neglected children, providing them with a safe, caring, loving environment where they gain confidence to get better and learn skills to become productive citizens.

In 2004, a record number of children — 43,654 — received help, healing and hope from Boys Town’s direct care programs in 14 states and in the District of Columbia. More than 500,000 children and families were helped through the Boys Town National Hotline, and nearly 1 million more were served through outreach and professional training programs last year.

Read more about Father Boes
Kids' advice to Father Boes
Father Boes' Inaugural Speech
Inauguration Video: (high band-width / low band-width)