Girls State is a program that provides young women with the opportunity to learn about government and leadership. Citizens learn about the democratic process, how our government works, and how to become effective leaders. Girls State is a hands-on experience that allows young women to develop their leadership skills and learn about the importance of civic engagement. All of this information can seem daunting as it is new to many of young women.
Being selected is an honor in itself a recognition of the participant's hard work and dedication. Citizens in Girls State are selected based on their academic achievements, leadership potential, and community involvement. As the upcoming seniors prepare for the weeklong festivities that girls state has to offer, they also have to prepare for and grasp the state’s democratic processes. This might entail preparing a speech to run for an election. Which brings me to a position many aren’t informed on until they come to the program. The position of Parish Party Chairwoman better known as PPC. As a Parish Party Chairwoman, your duties may include organizing and leading meetings, coordinating campaign events, and representing your party in the community. They are also responsible for building relationships with elected officials, party leaders to advance your party's goals and objectives in the elections. As these duties of PPC it’s imperative that they are persuasive, energetic, decisive, quick thinkers and make smart decisions to benefit their party.
As the PPC of Sabine Nationalists, I Tovy Tran, was elected to represent the parish party. Being a PPC entails being a high risk, high reward job. I had to be strategic of my deals that I made during Wheeling and Dealing during elections. While being favorable of the qualified candidates, I had to put my Parish and Party first. It taught me how to negotiate and be cunning to get votes from the voting delegation. As a 2023 Girls State citizen, I advise you to make the most out of your experiences. Girls state is truly like they say, it’s how you make the experience for yourself. It has been very eye opening to see girls of all walks of life have similar goals and aspirations come together. Whether it is getting involved with the traditions, running for elections, or simply just soaking everything in you get out of this experience what you put into it. You will make genuine lifelong friends with girls from the tippy top of the boot to the marshes of Louisiana. As said in girls state, “Girls state is what it is and ain’t what it ain’t.”