This past week, from June 9th to today, June 15th, I had the honor of representing my high school, Lakeville North, at American Legion Auxiliary Minnesota Girls State. I applied several months ago when I received a packet of information from my dean and her recommendation that I should apply. So, I went out on a limb and applied, with no idea of what I was getting myself into. I was accepted, and began talking to people, discovering that many people I knew had attended either Boys or Girls State in other states, such as my grandma. But despite talking to these people and reading the pages and pages of paperwork I was sent, I still had no idea what to expect.
Only two days after school let out, I had packed my bags and set out for Bethel University, where the week long camp would be held. I didn't know a soul, except for the girl going from Lakeville South, the other high school in my town, whom I had only met the previous day very briefly. I was so nervous; nervous I didn't have the right clothes, nervous I would have to do a lot of public speaking, nervous I wouldn't make any friends. But everyone was in the same boat I was.
The dorms at Bethel are awesome, but only for the upperclassmen there, though we got to use them. They're in a suite format, with three bedrooms, each with two beds, coming off a common room, and two sinks, two showers and a toilet, all in separate rooms to make for efficient morning and night routines with six girls.
Although most high schools had sent more than one girl, everyone hung out mostly with their roommates and the people in their "city." The way Girls State works is to learn about the local government, at the city, county and state levels, by actually living the government for a week. It's very hands-on. The 400-some girls from all over Minnesota are divided randomly into thirteen cities, all named after Native American words (I was in Wa-Wa-Say, which means butterfly), and the cities make up three counties, named for Indian tribes (I was in Winnebago - the other two were Sioux and Chippewa). From there, we started running for and filling up real political offices. Lastly, we were split up into two parties, the Nationalists (liberal) and the Federalists (conservative), and were supposed to be true to these parties when we built our platforms during conventions.
I was elected to City Council, and I had the position of Press, Promotion and Public Relations. My duties were recruiting my city-mates to do things at General Assembly (singing the anthem, doing the prayer, doing the pledge of allegiance, etc.) and organizing/writing articles for our Girls State newspaper, the Moccasin.
Next, county positions were filled, like the County Board, Sheriff and County Auditor. Lastly, the eight state officials were elected: governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, attorney general, chief justice of the supreme court and two associate judges.
We learned real life political skills, like bribery and under-the-table deals. For example, "I'll vote for you for mayor if you appoint me chief of police if you win." My deal was, "If you guys just elect me to the city council, I'd be thrilled to help any of you campaign for county and state positions!" When I said this while we were working on campaign posters, the other girls just smiled and said, "Now that's a politician..."
On a more serious note, we learned parliamentary procedure, how to make a platform (during county and state conventions), and on Capitol day some of us debated and voted on bills in the real House and Senate chambers, but I participated in mock trials in the Judicial building. I was a defense witness and we won the case. Just saying. But we acquitted everybody. We're a nice jury.
Beyond the governmental learning experience, Girls State was sort of a dry run for college to me. I went not knowing anyone, and I came out on the other end, a week later, with several great friends whom I'd like to keep in touch with. We had a blast, singing our dorky Girls State song and staying up until one in the morning talking and goofing around in our dorm. I learned that I could do it: I could go to a place not knowing anybody and be just fine. It wasn't as scary as I was worried it would be. I can do it in a little over a year when I go to college and because of this experience I'll feel loads better about it.
I also developed a little psychological theory: I quickly noticed that just about everybody looked like or otherwise reminded me of someone I knew from my school. Other people reported the same feeling. I hypothesize that this is something your brain does in order to make you feel more comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.
I quickly realized that I was in the minority at Girls State. Practically everyone was from a super small town and super small high school. One girl in my city has six people in her graduating class. I'm sitting there going, yeah, I have 450... Everyone was like, "Oh my God, what is that like?" And I'm like, "What is it like to only have 30 people in your class?!" They're all saying, "My dad's a farmer." "Mine too." I'm like, "My dad's an urban planner..." lawlz. They all have cows and pigs and horses. I have a dog. Their town doesn't have a grocery store or a stoplight. We have multiple Cub Foods alone and multiple stoplights on just one street. At one point a girl asked me, "You have a movie theater in Lakeville, don't you?" "Yeah. Do you not?!" It was so interesting to talk to people who have such a different background than me and still be able to get along really well. Most interestingly, a lot of these girls, for being from such staunchly conservative areas, were moderates or even fairly liberal. We were all proud of where we were from, of our schools and of our communities and the people in them.
The biggest thing I have taken away from Girls State though is a solution to a problem I've been having. I've been interested in a PoliSci major and even a political career for a while, but when I tell people this a lot of them say, "Politics? Really?!" with a sort of shocked/disgusted/appalled look on their face. What I learned from Girls State is that I can be and should be proud of my interest in politics and don't have to be embarrassed or ashamed of my aspiration to get a job in this field. Because, as the dorky song says, "Look to Girls State and you'll find tomorrow's leaders of mankind," and "Of our leaders we will learn, 'cause someday 'twill come our turn to fulfill their utmost plan: a lasting peace for every man." Yeah, there's a 'twill in there. So awesome.
If good people with good intentions go into politics, like the citizens of Girls State, it will no longer be considered a dirty business by so many people. Instead of complaining about the government, get involved and make it better because we are lucky enough to have the opportunity to do that in America.
Girls State was my kind of summer camp: an indoor, educational camp for civics nerds. I'm so grateful for this opportunity and to my American Legion sponsor for allowing me to have this wonderful experience. It's something I will remember forever and hopefully something that will influence choices I make pertaining to college and my career one day.
A few final points:
After singing the national anthem, reciting the pledge of allegiance and wearing a flag lapel pin each day for a week, I am such a little patriot, it's not even funny. 'MURICA. Mission accomplished, I guess. Good work, American Legion.
I totally teared up when we sang our songs in the Capitol Rotunda. That place has great acoustics and it was just so awesome.
And women are so taking over the world. What's up, Boys State??
Once I get my pictures sorted out, I will post a bunch of them :)
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