Local representatives picked for Girls State

American Legion Girls State continues to be a leading training ground for tomorrow?s leaders from the local to national level.

?To me this program really builds character and lets the kids know how they can make a contribution to their country and their city,? said American Legion Girls State program chairperson Pauline Norton. ?It?s a full week and it goes all day long.?

Girls State is not a classroom activity, but practical experience for young women in dealing with the challenges of government as it operates in Tennessee.

Girls State is not meant to take the place of civics or government classes as they are taught in high school. Rather it is planned so young women may put into actual practice the theories of government through participation in city and state government as organized as a mythical 51st state.

?It teaches them so much about our government,? said Norton. ?When they first get there, they are assigned a city where they have elections and those elections go all the way up to governor. And our governor himself, Phil Bredesen is scheduled to make an appearance some time during the week.?

This year?s delegates from Warren County High School are Cassie Rogers and Victoria Smith. The alternates are Lakan Dotson and Regan Stewart.

For Boyd, the delegates are Terann Hillis and Lyndsey King, and the alternate is Christe Boren.

These young ladies are all sponsored by American Legion Post 173 in McMinnville.

About 500 girls from across the state participate and American Legion tries to get a representative from each school. This year Girls State is May 28 to June 3 at MTSU.