Colorado Columbine Girls State

Dear Delegates:

We trust you have all received your packets from our Director by this time.  In case you haven't please feel free to contact Rochelle Whitney at 719-440-7967.  Information is also available on our 2009 Delegate Information pages.

NEW - We are excited to be offering e-commerce options through our Web Store.  Your parents or guardians can log-in to set up a pre-paid charge account for you in our "canteen"/gift shop.  You can buy snacks, drinks, souveniers and Girls State clothing with your charge account without all the hassle of carrying money.

Parents, family and friends can also purchase their tickets for our Thursday evening banquet and inauguration ceremony.  What better way to end your week than to have the special people in your life join you for this special night.

If you have ANY questions large or small, please contact either your sponsoring Auxiliary Unit or Director Whitney right away.

Your Director, counselors and program staff anxiously await your arrival in beautiful Gunnison, Colorado. 

Sincerely,

The Web Master

Less than two weeks to your "experience of a lifetime" - are you ready?

Our Director will be sending out a mailing next week with lots of important information for your review before arriving in Gunnison.   If you want to get a jump on things, please visit the 2009 Delegate Information pages.  Just this week we posted many new documents including the Director's Welcome Letter, a Tentative Schedule for the week and draft delegate manuals. 

Important documents for your completion include the Samsung Scholarship application.  This form requires input from your school counselor so please make sure to have it completed before all your local administration members are gone for the summer.  This is an opportunity for a scholarship of up to $20,000 and is open ONLY TO GIRLS STATE AND BOYS STATE PARTICIPANTS.

If you are interested in earning college credit for your week, check out our two optional programs.

Let your family and friends know they can monitor your progress during the week by visiting our website frequently.  We will be posting election results and many pictures and a few surprises. 

We have so much to offer after a year of hard work and planning on the part of your Director and her staff members.  We hope you are up to the challenge the week has to offer.  We are ready for you...

Sincerely,

The Webmaster

Who can believe only eight weeks to the 2009 Girls State session? 

Auxiliary Units will complete the work of raising funds and recruiting delegates to attend this special program.  Thank you to all the women (and men) whose perserverance will make this session possible.

Staff members anxiously await their assignments so they can make their final plans for the roles they will play during the session.  Whether working directly with delegates in a city, county or state session of Girls State, making life more comfortable for the delegates from the canteen, or working behind the scenes in the office; each staff member brings her personal skills and dedication to the program.

For your Director the session will mark the culmination of more than one year of intense planning and work (although those of us who know Rochelle well know the planning actually start edback in 1985 after she attended her delegate year at Girls State.)  Delegates are encouraged to meet their Director and thank her for the time and effort put into making the 2009 session a time in their life when they stretched their wings and reached for "Higher Ground!"

Lest we forget the 2008 delegates who will be extending their Girls State experience to the 2009 session.  The Colorado Columbine Girls State Program is pleased to announce the selection of the 2009 Junior Counselors better known as “JCs” to participate in the 62nd session of the Colorado Columbine Girls State, June 14 – 19, 2009, at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado.

Through the diligent efforts of our 2009 Director, Rochelle Whitney and the Colorado Columbine Girls State Board, our program is getting mentioned and making appearances in many venues.

Summer 2008 - Girls State was written up in the Colorado Springs Gazette and several delegates were featured to tell about their experience with the program.

An article appeared in Pueblo's Accolades magazine featuring the hometown Girl and Boys Nation representatives. 

November, 2008 - The Director and several Board Members attended the CSCA counselors conference where they greeted counselors from all around the state.  Information was distributed and names were taking for future mailing lists.

January, 2009 - Legionnaires appeared on the City of Louisville public access channel to promote the Oratorical Contest, Boys State and Girls State.  We understand another appearance may be happening soon.

Director Whitney presented to a group of DPA counselors.  For several years Denver Public Schools have been sorely under represented at Girls State.  We hope to have more delegates from there this session. 

February, 2009 - An article on the program was published in the Colorado state employee newsletter, Stateline. 

Director Whitney is slated to appear on the February 16, 4 pm broadcast of KKTV news.  KKTV is the southern Colorado affiliate of CBS. 

If you know of any other press on Girls State in your hometown or school newspaper or media outlet, please send copies of the articles to us.  We love watching the program continue to grow.

Happy reading,

The Web Master

If it's August it must be time for back-to-school!  As you return to your hometowns for your Senior year, we wish you all the best of luck.  Just as Girls State came and went quickly so, too, will your final year of High School.  Push hard to reach your goals, but don't forget to savor each moment.  Sporting events, dances, academic achievements and even those tests we all dread will have a special meaning as you complete your year.

We sincerely hope that you will carry with you all the memories of Girls State.  Do not forget the lessons learned, both practical and heartfelt.  Remember those special ladies from the session with whom you now share a unique bond.  Finally, do not forget to spread the message of your experience to the new Junior class. 

We challenge each of you to find your replacement and make sure she has all the information necessary to attend Girls State 2009.  Finally, let us know if there are other schools in your area who weren't represented or perhaps someone that is home schooled but would make an excellent delegate.  You are the ambassadors for the future of the program.

Don't hesitate to contact your counselors or Director if we can assist you with a recommendation letter for college or in any other manner. 

We love you!  

The Web Master

Hello Blog Readers!

I'm excited to say we are less than one month away from the 2008 Girls State session.

Delegates have been selected (last minute applications are still being taken) and should be receiving their information packets from the Director in the first days of June.  Please read over all the information carefully.  Several items require you to do pre-planning and signatures such as our Samsung Scholarship application and Medical Form.  For sneek peek, visit the 2008 Delegate Information pages which were updated today.

The Director and Staff members are making final preparations and attended a refresher training course this weekend so we can be in top shape for your arrival. 

Please give all your friends and family our web address so they can watch the action as it unfolds.  We are making our strongest effort ever to have live web updates so the public  can see pictures, videos and election results as they happen.   I hear a rumor that we might even be making an appearance on YouTube.  Finally,  I'm hoping I can recruit a few delegates to do some blogging on our site for the week, so we can get some fresh voices heard. 

Last minute questions or concerns - drop us an e-mail entitled 2008 Girls State Question

We can't wait to meet you.  Prepare for the experience of a lifetime!!

Sincerely,

The Webmaster

Thank you to all the young ladies that applied to be JC's for our 2008 session.  Our enrollment allowed us to select these 12 members of the class of 2007 to join us again.

Deann Duncan, City of Lucy Stone

Anne Farus, City of Carrie Chapman Catt

Celina Figgs, City of Inez Milholland Boissevain

Sara Fitouri, City of Vida Milholland

Kimberley Gibson, City of Lucy Stone

Elise Hens, City of Sojourner Truth

Catherine Morton, City of Lucy Stone

Cassie Pugh, City of Sojourner Truth

Emily Rairdon, City of Harriet Stanton Blatch

Samantha (Sam) Schadel, City of Ida B. Wells

Felysha Valdez, City of Alice Paul

Amber Widgery, City of Inez Milholland Boissevain

If you have been meaning to touch base with your old city-mates, now may be a good time to e-mail, text, call or write a note of congratulations. 

Sincerely,

TheWebmaster

Hello Blog Readers:

After years and years and years of suggestions, bills, cajoling and begging, the 2008 Girls State Board passed a new dress code which allows for dress slacks all week!   You read that correctly ladies - PANTS ALL WEEK!!

Lest you think we have dropped our standards, take a moment and read the  adopted dress code.  You will see that the pants which we refer to are dress slacks and/or dress pantsuits with appropriate, professional tops.   Dresses and skirts will still be allowed, of course.

Tell all your friends from last year that there's always hope and please use this new information to help us recruit delegates for our 2008 session.  I hear there are lots of qualified delegates out there who simply wouldn't come to Girls State because of the dress/skirt requirement.  I must say I'm still not entirely sold on that theory, but I welcome the opportunity to let you prove me wrong when our enrollment jumps by 40 or 50 delegates.

Don't forget to encourage your parents and community connections to support Girls State by donating to your local Auxiliary for the program or directly to our Board through the Friends of Girls State.  Anyone can donate to the Friends group with annual memberships ranging from $10 on up.  Make a donation to honor your Girls State Counselor or Director.  It's a small step that can make a huge impact on the quality of our program.

Until we meet again, I am humbly yours.

The Webmaster

Hello to all:

Exciting news!  Seventeen of our "Class of 2007" applied to us as Junior Counselors.  The twelve who were selected should be hearing any day now that they can plan to join our 2008 session!

By now most of you have reported back to your Auxiliary Units and/or Financial sponsors regarding your experience at Girls State.  If, by chance, you have not been contacted to make your report, please feel free to get in touch with us so we can give you the information for communicating with your Auxiliary Unit and sponsors. 

Along with making your reports, we hope that all of you can take an active role in helping us recruit delegates for the 2008 session.    Your group consisted of 188 delegates.  While we loved having each and every one of you, we know there are many, many more girls in communities large and small out there that we are not reaching.  In the semi old days, Girls State was routinely made up of 300 girls in 16 cities (instead of the 12 we have now).   In the very old days, I hear we had in excess of 350 or 400 delegates per session.

We simply ask that you take a look around for girls who would benefit from this program.  

*Look at the Juniors in your school right now. 

*If you're in a small town, think about the neighboring high school - were they represented last year?. 

*Who do you know from your contacts in sports, activities and clubs such as FBLA, FFA, FCCLA and DECA? 

*Remember your slightly younger and very competitive cousin who lives across the state -- she may be a wonderful candidate for the program!  

One major system that has not been represented at Girls State in years is the Denver Public Schools.  Do you know a student there?  Does an aunt, uncle or neighbor work as a counselor or teacher at DPS?  Would they work with us to send deserving girls from those schools?  Finally, let's not forget the growing number of home-schooled students. 

We appreciate any help you can provide as alumnae of the program.  If you have any hot leads, contact me and I will forward the information for processing.

The balance of winter and spring will pass quickly.  Enjoy your remaining months as seniors.  If there is anything your counselors can do for you to help with college admittance, don't hesitate to let us know. 

Best wishes,

The Webmaster

As I see the twinkling of colored lights and the snow gently falling outside my window, I'm reminded that it must be December. 

December means many things; we're all bustling to get through the holidays, winter break is almost here for you lucky students and the deadline for Junior Counselor applications is drawing near.

For many of you the excitement of Girls State left you with a desire to return to the program and help a new crop of delegates through their special year.  We know you have been busy with school, but your last precious days are here to apply as a JC.

Please refer to your manuals for specific details on how to apply.  The short version is here.

Write a letter to Director Faith telling her why you would like to return as a JC.  Include the name of your City last year and your counselor(s).  Don't forget to include a photo of yourself so we can remember your bright shining faces.  Snail mail to:  Faith Mills, 18318 CR 43, Holyoke, CO  80734.

For those who would rather fast forward, I know Director Faith is a technology saavy lady and would also accept letters and photos via e-mail .

Much as we would love to have all applicants back, space and funds are limited, so please don't delay in sending your requests.

Peace and Joy to you for the season,

The Webmaster