SALT LAKE CITY — Every year, the American Auxiliary Legion, an organization that works to serve veterans and military families in the United States, holds its Girls State event. High school juniors and seniors are eligible for this annual week-long meeting, where they work in a mock government, making decisions and creating legislation that will be used to lead their hypothetical America.
This year at the 80th ALA Girls State, Rori Phibbs from Juan Diego Catholic High received the Catholic Women League’s scholarship. Phibbs learned about Girls State from her counselor, she said, though at first she wasn’t sure if she was cut out for it. She often finds herself disagreeing with the choices made in the U.S. and thought herself to not be very patriotic, she said. “But if you can separate being patriotic for our country and disagreeing with its choices,” you can cultivate a love for the land in which you live, Phibbs said.
Girls State ended up being “absolutely amazing,” she said. Each girl was assigned to a city, which needed three Congress members and one senator. Phibbs was elected senator of her appointed city, Matheson City, Colo.
Girls State, which took place from June 6-10 this year, was filled with debates, drafting and writing bills, and learning more about the way the U.S. government works, Phibbs said.
Phibbs submitted a bill to combat gerrymandering, which is the manipulation of state or city boundaries to favor one party. “I’m really passionate about it,” she said. “It affects Democrats, Republicans and independents.” When the Congress members met to debate putting her bill into action, she heard the discussion “got pretty heated,” she said, laughing. It was nice to see her bill receive that kind of passion and attention, she said.
Being able to take part in a smaller version of governmental decision-making was illuminating, she said. “It’s much different to read about it than to actually experience it and be there in the moment,” Phibbs said. “It became a big deal to us (girls), because we respected it.”
The scholarship she received from the CWL was a wonderful part of the experience as well, she said. Though she is still keeping her options open, the scholarship has opened up a lot of opportunities, Phibbs said. “I’ve a wide range of interests … but this really solidified me wanting to do something in Congress or the Senate,” she said. “This has really taught me what I can do.”
It was wonderful to see Phibbs receive the CWL scholarship this year, said Alexa Maland, the CWL’s liaison for Girls State. Students interested in the CWL scholarship must “meet high standards of moral character, (and have) strong leadership abilities and above average scholastic standing,” Maland said. “Rori Phibbs is a top student not only academically but also with extensive extracurricular activities, leadership positions, volunteer activities and scientific endeavors.”
In addition to getting a chance to receive the CWL scholarship, the “hands-on aspect and learning what different government officials do adds to the appeal” of Girls State, said Cary Fisher, the secretary and treasurer for ALA’s Department of Utah. The Girls State event was started for high school students in 1937 as an attempt to counter Nazi youth movements and has continued for 80 years because of its constant value for students to understand their government a little better, she said.
“Attending the ALA Utah Girls State program has been a life-changing experience for some girls,” Fisher said. “Many girls learn that they are capable of speaking to large audiences. Many girls learn about cultures other than their own, due to the diversity of girls who attend. Many gain a self-confidence they didn’t have before attending.”
In addition to Phibbs, Judge Memorial Catholic High School students Bailey Walker and Sonja Madsen attended Girls State this year.
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