There is now just a week left for junior girls at RBHS to submit their names for Missouri Girls State. According to guidance counselor Dr. Jordan Alexander, the deadline to apply is Wed., Feb. 18 and the process is fairly simple.
“You just come to the guidance office and give us your name and phone number and then you show up to an interview with the American Legion Auxiliary,” Dr. Alexander said. “Then you are interviewed to become one of the delegates.”
Girls State is a program sponsored by the American Legion that is geared toward rising senior girls who have an interest in government. The program’s official purpose, as stated by  their official website, “…is to promote pride in America and to create a mythical state that the citizens will govern at the city, county and state level.”
While Alexander said the American Legion Auxiliary will accept up to eight junior girls this year, RBHS only sent four girls to Girls State last year.
Senior Delaney Tevis was one of those chosen, and said she gained a deeper understanding of legislative and governmental action through the experience.
“From the moment you got there it was very fast paced,” Tevis said. “It wanted you to simulate the government, so you held elections on the municipal, county and state levels.”
Girls State is held at Central Missouri University in Warrenton. Though there is an official tuition of $225, the cost is covered by the auxiliary chapter that sponsors each girl.
“Students develop leadership skills; they learn how to network and write bills,” Alexander said. “It’s pretty intensive but students come away with a rich experience.”
Tevis said that Girls State was a very exciting and educational experience that helped her gain insight into government and politics.
“I definitely learned a lot. It wasn’t like I was expecting it to be, but I still had fun,” Tevis said.  “It was enlightening about politics, and ultimately the best part for me was that I ended up earning a $20,000 scholarship. “
While Tevis earned one of the largest scholarships, the Samsung American Legion Scholarship, there are still numerous other scholarship opportunities available for participants of Girls State, which can be found on the national website.