Katerina Kovarik selected to attend American Legion Auxiliary Girls State

American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Scenic Unit #722 of Harpers Ferry, has selected Katerina Kovarik, a junior at Waukon High School, to be its representative from Allamakee County for American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Iowa Girls State being held June 19-24 in person at Drake University in Des Moines. She is the daughter of Kris and Jen Kovarik of Waukon.

ALA Iowa Girls State is one of the premier programs sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and was started by a dream of four women over 75 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.

It 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 candidates elected and create party loyalty.

By the end of the week, they have elected county and state officials. Friday evening, Inauguration is held which includes the closing of the final session of the House and Senate and the installation of the Governor and her officials. Scholarships and merit awards are presented and the ALA Nation Senators are announced.

During the week, the American Legion Auxiliary President speaks about the various Auxiliary programs and there are several speakers on a variety of subjects. The presiding ALA Girls State Governor opens and closes each day’s session and there are several activities throughout the week, such as daily flag raising and lowering and a candle-lighting ceremony. ALA Iowa Girls State also has a store which stocks items such as apparel, notebooks and fun items.