Nell Hogan selected as Girls State Citizen by Harpers Ferry American Legion Auxiliary

Nell Hogan, daughter of Mary Hogan of Lansing, has been selected as the 2019 Girls State Citizen by American Legion Auxiliary Unit #722 of Harpers Ferry. Hogan is currently a junior at Kee High School in Lansing. She will attend Girls State 2019 at Drake University in Des Moines June 16-21.

Iowa Girls State is one of the premier programs sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and was all started by a dream of four women over 70 years ago in hopes of teaching young women about the political process. Girls State is a “learning by doing” program, which takes the girls through the entire political process.

Girls State covers city government, which is non-partisan in Iowa. Each citizen is assigned to a floor, which is her city for the week. Early in the week, the girls elect their mayors and city councils, transact city business, pass city ordinances, and work on a city project for judging later. They are also divided into political parties and campaign to get their party’s candidates elected and create party loyalty. By the end of the week, they have elected county and state officials as well.

Friday evening, inauguration is held which includes the closing of the final joint session of the House and Senate, and the installation of the Governor and her officials. Many scholarships are awarded and the Girls Nation Senators are also announced.

More than government happens at Girls State.  During the week, the Department President tells the girls about the various Auxiliary programs and a mini programs fair is also held to educate the girls about the American Legion Auxiliary and to recruit members. The presiding Girls State Governor opens and closes each day’s session, and there are informative and motivational speakers throughout the week.

Girls State Citizens must be between their junior and senior year of high school and are selected by their local American Legion Auxiliary Unit.