Pierce ALA Sending Two to Cornhusker Girls State
Launch the media gallery 1 playerBy: Rylee Altwine
Isabelle Streff and Payton Ebmeier, juniors at Pierce High School, have been selected to attend the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Cornhusker Girls State, which will be held May 31-June 6 at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln campus.
“I’m very excited to go to Girls State. I’ve heard really amazing things about the types of relationships you gain and the information presented there. Since it’s a week long, I’m nervous about being gone from my home for that long and also being around people I don’t know; however, I’m also excited because the experience sounds educational. I don’t know much about the government process and the different offices, but I hope to learn them down at Lincoln,” Streff said.
Every spring the American Legion Auxiliary picks around 400 girls to participate. During the seven days they spend in Lincoln they get the chance to tour important buildings. They have many different sessions along with activities.
“I am so honored to be one of the two girls chosen to travel to Lincoln. I never really believed I would be chosen, so this was really a surprise to my family and me,” Ebmeier said.
Girls state teaches students about local, county, and state government in a nonpartisan program. The Girls State attendees, known as “citizens,” receive special instruction in parliamentary procedure and organize themselves into two mock political parties. The students then campaign, hold rallies, debate, and ultimately vote to elect city, county, and state officials. Once elected to office, delegates are sworn in and perform their prescribed duties. Attendees who are not elected to office are given appointments and visit the offices of those elected to share their viewpoints as citizens.
The cost for Pierce’s delegates are paid for by the Pierce American Legion Auxiliary.
