Girls State Program
GIRLS STATE PROGRAM RETURNS TO GARFIELD
The Girls State program has been absent from Garfield High School for the past five years. Once again the program will be reestablished at the high school with the assistance of Vice Principal Frances Vilaubi. The California Girls State is a leadership program of the American Legion Auxiliary designed to increase awareness and knowledge of governmental processes while learning about the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Delegates come away with a greater appreciation of the American Flag and of the sacrifices made by our veterans. While attending Girls State, they make friends with outstanding girls from around the state and have a fun week they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. California Girls State is a program sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Department of California.
This year there are five candidates from Garfield High School that will be submitting a resume and an essay “Why I want to attend Girls State” prior to being interviewed. Only one candidate will be selected and an alternate while the others will get special recognition as participants. Interviews for the selection of a delegate & alternates representing Garfield High School will be held February 08, 2011. The Girls State 2011 session will be held at Claremont College June 26 – July 02, 2011 where the selected delegate will be joining over 500 girls from all across the state of California.
Also, there is a Boys State program which is similar to the Girls State program. The Boys State initial orientation and selection process started January 2011. Any current junior student attending Garfield High school with the remaining senior year left can apply. The Boys State delegate will join 900 other delegates to Boys State who on arrival will be registered and assigned a room. The room will indicate the City assigned and a political party, either a Whig or Federalist Party member. Each delegate will also be given a room key, material to study for the Bar Exam, a Manual of California Government, one t-shirt and identification badge.