Arizona Girls, Boys State marks 71st session
Nearly 300 high school girls from across Arizona converged on the University of Arizona campus for the 71st session of The American Legion Auxiliary premier program, American Legion Auxiliary Arizona Girls State.
A similar event for males, Boys State, was held in Flagstaff the same week.
This “unique” opportunity is open to youth completing their junior year of high school that meet the necessary qualifications. The session ran from June 1-9.
About 20 girls from Yuma County attended the event, representing area high schools.
Attending from Yuma High were: Jessica Grove, (twin sisters) Isabellah and Jwliannah Ortega; attending from Yuma Catholic were Theodora Baker and Anny Zhen. Amulya Doniparthi, Mallory Lemmon, Jessica Ontiveros and Casandra Walker attended from Cibola High.
Participating from Gila Ridge HS were Klarisza Ary, Lucy Fields, Hannah Herhkowitz and Emily Kissel; Antelope Union (Wellton) was represented by Samantha Nieto. From Kofa High were Seria Loza, Lizbeth Mora, Nydia Sanchez and Leilani Wesley.
Participating boys from Cibola High School were Omar Angel Flores, Carlos Moreno, Thomas Bryan Lund, Thaddeus Roberto Arcenas and alternates Noah Talmage Butler and Jose Juan Alvarado. From Gila Ridge: Talen Lee Osborn and Andrew Sarrasin. Yuma Catholic was represented by Filiberto Quintero. San Luis High School sent Nitant Soni, Alberto Gabriel Plantillas and Rey Ortega. From Kofa was Justin Galvez, Gavin Werley, Luis Sanchez and Joshua Garay. The alternate was Nicolas Navarro. Yuma High sent David Cardenas.
American Legion Auxiliary Arizona Girls and Boys State is a weeklong program designed to educate youth in the functions of their government and kindle the desire to actively participate in and responsibly fulfill their role as citizens.
According to Girls State Director Penny Maklary, “this is a week that shapes a lifetime.”
State of the art, ecofriendly instructional classrooms throughout the university were assigned to the program this year.
“Similar to past years,” she went on to say, “we have senior staff that work as city and county advisers, while junior counselors return from the previous year’s Girls State session, to assist Senior Staff in the education (and fun) process.”
Arizona Girls/Boys State is comprised of 12 cities and 4 counties. There are 22 to 24 youths in each city and about 75 youths in each county. They are divided into two pseudo political parties called federalists and nationalists. Precinct committeemen watch over all elections and assist political parties.
Each city elected a mayor and council; wrote their own ordinances and resolutions, passed a budget and a strategy for planning and zoning. Cities were assigned to a County and the educational process continued with campaigning and election to County and State positions. During the span of the week, they conducted regular city and party meetings, wrote and debated bills, received instruction from actual elected state/county officials and “learned by doing.” Midweek, they elected the prominent positions of governor and secretary of State. Youths elected to these two positions return to preside over the 72nd session next summer.