Girls' State offers leadership, appreciation for rights as citizens

SALT LAKE CITY — Girls’ State is an opportunity for high school juniors to develop an appreciation for their rights as citizens, to learn leadership skills, to meet public officials, and new friends. Girls’ State was held at Southern Utah University in Cedar City June 1-6.

Each year during the month of June, thousands of high school students gather on college campuses throughout the United States for a week-long citizenship training sponsored by the American Legion. For more than 65 years, the nation’s largest veteran’s organization has given high school juniors the opportunity to learn first-hand how their state and local governments work through its auxiliary’s Girls’ State and Boys’ State programs.

Participants create a fictional state where they run for office, elect public officials, create and enforce laws, and actively participate in all phases of running a working government modeled on their own local, county, and state governments.

For the past 10 years, the Catholic Woman’s League (CWL) has been a strong advocate for the participation of young women from our Catholic high schools in this program by offering scholarships. This year Teresa Pond and Cricket Oles participated from Judge Memorial Catholic High School. From Saint Joseph Catholic High School Taylor Jensen, Molly Porter, and Chelsea Winters attended Girls’ State.

This unique program gives young women who have completed their junior year in high school the opportunity to experience campaigning for office and running government on the local, state, and national levels. They learned how to be productive and involved citizens and they met a number of our public officials.

The girls have to meet rigorous standards of academic achievement, community and school participation, and demonstrate leadership skills in order to be chosen as candidates to attend.

"Competition for the few spots from each high school can be fierce," said Lynn Maland from the CWL. "It is therefore with pride that we announce the young ladies who were the candidates. Unfortunately there were no applicants from Juan Diego Catholic High School this year.

Maland said CWL continued its tradition of offering partial scholarships to each candidate, thanks to the generosity of its members.

"To foster good citizens, our youth need to be supported in their endeavors and encouraged to approach each new venture with positive attitudes about those who may represent a different aspect of society" said Gail Hensleigh, CWL past president. "Experience gained in Girls State combined with their life based in faith in Christ will help these girls build God’s Kingdom by having a positive impact on their communities including their families, church, cultural, and political systems. This year’s delegates have demonstrated their leadership abilities and their desire to build a better world."

Cricket, Teresa, and Chelsea each wanted to attend Girls State in order to understand better the political process and how the government works. Interacting with people, learning leadership skills, and making new friends were also their goals. In addition, Teresa wanted to continue in the footsteps of her mother, Casey Pond, her aunts Michele Bell and Beth Thorson, and family friend Marcie Downs, who attended Girls State in the past. Casey and Marcie have been involved in the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW) for many years.

Maland said each of these girls are concerned about their world and are aware of issues in their communities. Teresa considers immigration, welfare, spending on education, health insurance for kids, and unemployment as serious issues on the state level. She considers growth, development, and recycling as issues in her city of Centerville. She considers the threat of pandemics, collapsing economy, lack of health insurance for many, rising unemployment environmental pollution, and the war in Iraq as nationally pressing issues.

Maland said each of these girls have shown their desire to improve their community through volunteering. Chelsea raised over $500 for Hurricane Katrina victims.

Cricket and Teresa both received several awards in school for their many service hours. Cricket volunteers in the Cathedral of the Madeleine Choir, the Madeleine Choir School, and Judge Memorial. Teresa volunteers in service projects at Judge Memorial, in her community, and participates in her parish’s Council of Women service activities.

Cricket and Teresa are very active in the Judge Memorial community. Teresa is involved in student government as past president of Sophomore and Junior Cores and is now president of Senior Core, a member of the National Honor Society, editor of photography in the yearbook, captain of varsity softball, recipient of several awards in sports, student government and service, and member of the Social Action Team. Cricket has also been on the Student Council yearly at Judge Memorial and plans to run for student body president. She is editor–in-chief of the school’s newspaper, The Bulldog Press.

"Our Catholic community is blessed to have such gifted and motivated young ladies representing our community and schools at Girls State," said Maland. "It is important to realize our responsibilities as role models for our young people and it is gratifying to hear these young ladies acknowledging positive influences in their lives."

Chelsea realizes how every single event in her life has helped her to learn, grow, and become a stronger person. Cricket is inspired by the passion that Gregory Glenn has for his work as director of the Cathedral of the Madeleine Choir, and the vision he had in establishing the Madeleine Choir School. Through the Choir School, Cricket has had the opportunity to travel, learn the value of keeping tradition, and honest dedication.

"Teresa feels that her faith, friends, and school have been great influences in her life, but above all, her family has been her biggest support system," said Maland.

"I have become a devoted Catholic and know that even living in a community that is predominantly non-Catholic, being Catholic is what is right for me.

"My family has helped me to believe in myself and my dreams," said Teresa. "They have helped me realize who I am, what I believe in, and who I want to be."

"I wanted to go to Girls’ State because I hoped to gain a better understanding of the political process on a state and local level," said Cricket. "I wanted to learn the importance of working with others and gain more leadership.

"Maintaining neighborhood communities, such as the Sugarhouse area, and other areas is a big goal of mine," said Cricket. "Also improving mass transit and walking and bike lanes is important to me. At a national level, the violence in Mexico that has been spilling over is a large concern of mine. I believe that policy makers really need to focus on this issue and try to stop the main causes rather than palliating the situation.

"I have sung at the Madeleine Cathedral since fifth grade and began in the adult choir when I was a freshman at Judge," said Cricket. "This is all volunteer and I have received the Presidential Service Award (100 plus years of service every year) since my freshman year. I have also volunteered at the Madeleine Choir School, and help out a lot at Judge with different teachers. At school I have been on the student council since my freshman year.

Molly said Girl’s State is an opportunity for her to really expand her knowledge of politics and share and feed off the ideas of other people who share her same interests.

" I was able to come back with a love for politics and I hope now I will be able to broaden my mind in the political area.