Students selected for girls state

Two Green River High School juniors were selected to participate in the American Legion Auxiliary Wyoming Girls State.

Mary Harris and Abby Alcorn both submitted applications to the American Legion Tom Whitmore Post No. 28 and were accepted to attend Girls State, which is scheduled to take place in June 10-16 at Laramie County Community College.

According to the website http://www.wyamericanlegionauxiliary.org/girls-state, "The purpose of American Legion Auxiliary Department of Wyoming Girls State is to provide citizenship training for girls who have completed their junior year of high school; to afford them an opportunity to live together as self-governing citizens; to inform them about the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of American citizenship, in order that they may understand and participate in the functioning of their government and to help them grasp the meaning of some of the responsibilities which they must assume when they become adults."

Alcorn said she and Harris had only three days to complete the application and turn it in. Both of them found out about Girls State from their high school history teachers.

Auxiliary member Judith Killion said they had several applications to chose from and they looked at the student's merit, letters of application and willingness to participate.

They also looked at what activities the students were involved in at school. All of the applications were reviewed by a committee the auxiliary formed for this task.

Alcorn said it's an opportunity for her to participate in mock government by creating a bill and then debating the bill. Those in attendance also decide what office of government they would like to run or try to be appointed to and then pursue it. Alcorn would like to be a Supreme Court justice, while Harris a U.S. Senator. They can also run for state-level elected positions.

Killion said even though some women may lose their elections or not be appointed to the office they wanted, they will all have a job to do.

"Everybody gets to do something," Killion said.

Harris said she has the chance to be involved and take part in the governmental process.

"I've never done anything like this," Alcorn said.

As for the proposed bills Alcorn and Harris have to create, they both already have pretty good ideas of which direction they'd like to go. Alcorn would like to propose a bill to make Wyoming a primary state, instead of a caucus state, while Harris would like sex education to be taught in public schools.

"I'm super excited to be working with women who are passionate about the same thing," Alcorn said.

Harris is looking forward to obtaining a better understanding and knowledge of how the government works.

The trip is being paid for by the auxiliary, Killion said, which is why the field was narrowed down to two. The auxiliary does all of the fundraising on their own.

"We wanted to make the opportunity available for at least two young ladies," Killion said.

Killion knows how valuable this process is to those who are picked to attend.

"I think it will make them stronger citizens," Killion said. "It will encourage them to become involved on all levels. It will empower them as women."

Killion said most of the young ladies who participate leave truly believing they can make a change and make things happen to see that change.

"I'm excited," Killion said. "They are amazing young women and they are going to be awesome."

While at Girls State, national delegates will be selected by a state auxiliary committee.