What I Learned Between the Lines

Hot takes seem to be Girls State’s go-to ice breaker, so here’s mine: your resume can be the most impressive in the world, and you can still be underqualified for the job. LAGS taught me this firsthand through the extensive election process. As candidates took the stage, I began to notice a pattern. Many speeches highlighted impressive accomplishments, leadership positions, and awards, but they often followed the same familiar structure. After hearing similar talking points repeated throughout the day, the details started to blur together. But when I gave my first speech Monday, I realized I was doing the exact same thing which prompted me to reflect not only on my speeches but on myself. 

Why was I even at Girls State in the first place? Was it just something to add onto a list of achievements? Did I care if I left a lasting impression on this program at all? And most importantly: what am I going to tell my teachers when they ask me what I learned? I spent all of Monday night considering this as I wrote my speech to campaign for Parish Communications Officer. Preparing for and attending Girls State, I heard the phrase, “Girls State is what you make it,” so many times I saw it in my dreams. Literally. But that night, I decided that I wanted to make Girls State something that would stay with me forever, not just in my mind or in a photobook, but in the way I spoke to people and approached situations. I came to the conclusion that I did care how these girls saw me, and I didn't want them to get the impression that this is just another award for me.

Nick Carraway from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby” advises his readers to reserve judgement on a person because you never know their background. When I read this book for the first time, I thought that quote was so naive that I closed it instantly and picked up my favorite fantasy novel to re-read. After attending Girls State, however, I learned the true meaning and importance of this quote. Similar to parish primaries, party primaries were a long, arduous process of listening to people’s accolades. At first I found myself tuning them out again, but then I thought I should use the skills I learned and the things I was taught to try and make this process better! Instead of choosing to block out the segment where they listed achievements, I tried to think beyond what the achievements meant. A delegate who served as Student Council President knew how to get a crowd to vote for her and would be confident leading projects. A delegate who was cheer captain would be loud, have spirit and represent our party well. While it would have been far easier, and more entertaining, for delegates to state those facts compared to the achievements, this made speeches a tiny bit more interesting. It also taught me to reserve my judgement on people until I’ve heard their full story. So far, one of my favorite sayings comes from Representative Vanessa LaFleur who came to speak to us on Tuesday in a panel with three other representatives and senators. She says that you should never close doors on a single issue; if you hear someone say something you don’t like, do not cut off contact with them. You should, say it with me now, reserve your judgement! I was fortunately able to use this to assist in the rest of elections, but this is a skill I know I will try my best to carry with me back home.

One idea I had to gather for myself was the thought that there is always room for improvement but only for those who seek it out constantly. Before Girls State, I knew writing was the profession I was going to go into, but I was always too scared to show my work to others for fear of criticism. Even at Girls State, I held myself back from running for a state position because I thought writing a speech on top of an article and managing Parish Party Chairwoman duties at the same time would be too much work for me (I told everyone it was because I didn’t have a white dress. They didn’t buy it). Though after sitting through parish primaries, I realized that I really could have done it if I just took the initiative and spoke up about my fears to someone else. So when I went into my special project for that afternoon I poured all my heart into helping others finalize their speeches so they could run for state offices. I now know that everyone always needs help when it comes to writing. Everyone is always nervous. Everyone always wants reassurance. Some people are just afraid to ask for it. I was able to improve my speech writing skills, and I was able to meet new girls and give them the confidence I didn’t have. Even though I didn’t run for a state position, that was good enough for me. I now know where my strengths lie, but I also know my weaknesses. And I have Girls State to thank for that lesson.

Looking back, even though I have regrets I’m proud of how far I’ve come. The lessons discussed here aren’t the only ones I've learned, but they’re the ones I want past, present, and future delegates to take with them. Not just delegates either, I think that everyone should be taught these lessons. Wait to form an opinion on someone until you hear what they have to say. Always seek improvement, and always invest in becoming the person who is worthy of serving those you care about (got that one from a representative too!) Let yourself explore things you never considered enjoying. I spent weeks trying to come up with a reason to drop Girls State because my friends kept saying it wasn’t their thing. I came anyway, and it has motivated me to apply to the Mayor Youth’s Advisory Council for the 2026-27 school year. And above all else, if there is one thing I would take away from this experience it would be that voting matters. I can’t remember the name of the lovely lady who said it, but one of the four representatives and senators told the Girls State delegates that apathy had no place in this democracy, and that voting was our voice and our demand upon the people we vote for. I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with something a politician said so quickly. Girls State has left such a lasting impact on my heart, and I wish I could record the entire week to remember it and the lessons I’ve learned forever. But I can not, so I leave this article as proof I was here. I had the most fun I’ve ever had all summer, I can’t wait to read the articles from next year’s Poppy Press!