Local representatives picked for Girls State
Volunteer Girls State was established in 1937 by the American Legion Auxiliary. Girls State is a leadership and citizenship training program offered to young women who have completed their 11th grade of high school.
This year’s delegates from Warren County High School are Jenee-Maree Northcutt, Leanne Pelham and Kimberly Pettigrew. The alternates are Julia Fisher, Kendra Savage and Ashley Tubb.
The delegate from Boyd Christian School is Mary Leigh Reynolds. The alternate is Heather Marie Davis.
Through the auxiliary’s sponsorship, the program is a non-partisan, non-political attempt to teach and to instill in young women a love for God and country.
For one week every summer, Volunteer Girls State provides girls who are rising seniors the opportunity to form and run a mock government by meeting, living and working with other young female leaders from across the state.
Delegates spend the week setting up city, county and state governments, which provide experience in the electoral process, both as voters and as candidates.
As small communities, the 12 Girl State cities formed during the first day compete against each other in activities designed to continue citizenship training. Daily assemblies expose delegates to distinguished speakers, other presentations and evening vespers.
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 173 sponsors four delegates and four alternates each year at a cost of $200 per delegate.