By Grace Wilson Before, I was weak. Not physically, no. I was weakly linked to myself. I didn’t have much of a sense of myself. I was confidently unconfident. However, I grew Not in height, no. I grew into my own potential. I was able to stand on my own two feet. I was strongly […]
The Art of Losing By Katy Delahunt, Taylor City One might think the most impactful lessons a girl can learn at VGS stem from winning elections. However, I learned something much more valuable – how to lose. I have always struggled with my pride. Sometimes, I’ll rationalize my loss and attribute it to circumstances outside […]
By Victoria Oduwa, Smith City It wasn’t until I attended Girls State that I saw my hopes for our generation coming to fruition. As a victim of abuse, bullying and poverty, I once had a very pessimistic outlook on life. I believe that the general saying of life as hard unfair and dark. There will […]
By Latricia Hood, Sevier City Over these past few days I’ve developed something much powerful than friendship with the Sweeties of Sevier city. Being at Girls State cracked my shell and allowed me to start over and establish bonds with new people but with the real me. If it weren’t for one of the councilors […]
By Emma Petersen, Robertson City Suppose a turtle is put into a rocket ship. Seriously, imagine it. The type of tiny turtle you might see attempting to eat a strawberry too big for its mouth. Suppose that tiny turtle is put into a rocket ship. The divots in the turtle’s shell gleam as she takes […]
By Julianna Saah, Overton City “Be who you want to be this week.” This is one of many statements our counselors have thrown at us since Sunday. So, I thought about this statement, who do I really want to be? Do I, an introverted girl easily intimidated at the mere thought of public speaking, want […]
What Girls State Means to Me By Emily Hunt, Hudson City From trekking to the dorms on Sunday to the gubernatorial debate My week has been full and fast at Volunteer Girls State We stay up late To Wake up early and to us it makes perfect sense. With a love of country And love […]
By Katie Beth Sharp, Green City No score and just a few days ago, our fathers (and mothers) brought forth on this campus, a scared girl, weighed down with bags and dedicated to the proposition that she had no idea what was going on. Girls State has been to me the way the Gettysburg Address […]
By MacKenzie Lett, Houston City Coming into this week I had the same worries I am sure most other girls here had: I was apprehensive about what the week had to hold. However, there has never been a dull moment, and I may even fall asleep on the way home. My fears quickly faded away […]
By Savannah Sponcia, Gray City ‘There is NO WAY I am going to Volunteer Girls State.” That was me three months ago. I decided to come because it would look great on my college application and out of sheer curiosity. However, the past five days have changed my entire perspective on the role of women […]
Whether you attended ALA VGS and want to give future citizens the same opportunity, or your daughter was positively impacted by the program, your financial and community support is an investment in Tennessee’s brightest young leaders.