Girls State delegates learn responsible citizenship

CEDAR CITY — "It is important to know what is going on in the world and have an objective perspective," said Ellie Cutting, a Judge Memorial Catholic High School student who attended Girls State June 5-10, at Southern Utah University in Cedar City.

The American Legion offers 300 Utah girls who have completed their junior year of high school the opportunity to participate as delegates at Girls State. The girls study local, county, and state government processes, and set up miniature city, county, and state governments. The delegates administer these governments according to the rules and procedures of Utah State laws, and they participate in mock political campaigns, rallies, voting, and elections.

"The Catholic Woman’s League (CWL) each year offers partial scholarships to girls from Judge Memorial and Juan Diego Catholic High Schools," said Mary Lowe, a CWL representative. St. Joseph High School is unable to send delegates to Girls State as a result of a scheduling conflict.

This year the CWL sponsored Cutting, Emily Mahaffey, Gina Stahla, and Lindsey Nielson. Girls State is a weeklong seminar which gives students interested in political science an opportunity to learn how their state and local governments operate.

Cutting’s political interests cover a wide variety of issues such as immigration, public transportation, school funding, and women in politics. Cutting went to Ethiopia on a service trip for three weeks last summer with five other Judge students.

Mahaffey will be a senior next year at Judge Memorial. She is interested in a career in politics and said Girls State was a good way to expand her knowledge. She is concerned Americans are becoming too apathetic toward world issues, and more interested in the latest television programs. She said our future is being decided right now and we need a voice in it.

She and her family went to New Orleans to help clean up neighborhoods following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Her parents taught her the importance of discussion and how to articulate her own opinion.

Stahla will be a senior at Juan Diego when school begins. She is interested in politics and the government, and believes it is imperative that all citizens read and are informed so they can make good decisions about candidates and their issues. She said needed changes can be made locally with citizen involvement.

Stahla’s mother is the most influential person in her life. Her mother is an Italian immigrant, and has always been active in many organizations and involved in leadership roles. Stahla admires her mother’s perseverance and has been taught "she is not done until she is done."

Nielson will be a senior at Juan Diego and is interested in a law career. She is also interested in animal rights and believes in speaking for those without a voice. She is president of the Animal Rights Club and volunteers at animal shelters.

Nielson supports immigration reform and believes it is wrong to make it a felony to help immigrants. She is proud of her country and understands why so many people take the risk of coming to the United States. She also thinks women can make a big difference in the world and supports a woman running for president. She is a member of the National Honor Society and is a student ambassador.