By Gwendolyn Bickerton
Sycamore City Reporter
The commencement of the mythical real, Girls State, began with nerves, anticipation, expectations and formidable excitement. When delegates transformed into citizens, the once distant event became our present reality.
Since the start of Girls State, I myself have experienced being apart of a community of girls, who share a genuine zeal for government and teamwork.
All the citizens of Girls State also share mixed feeling on upcoming campaigns. Some girls are prepared, some deciding, and some are nervous with uncertainty from what the elections hold.
I personally have found that many are nervous about public speaking, likability or being “The Best.”
Fortunately for us, we have accessibility to pick the brains of those who have come before us.
After Governor Ava Campbell blessed us with a look into what Girls Nation looks like, I asked both her and Secretary of State Aarna Dharia about campaigning advice.
They both emphasized the importance of making connections, being genuine and having an enticing slogan for the campaign.
A direct quote from both was this, “Your campaign hinges on your passion for your topic and the community you build at Girls State. It does not hurt to have a good campaign slogan.”
They added examples of a good slogan by supplementing their own slogans, such as, “Do your girl a FAVA and vote for AVA,” and “Raise your ya ya ya and vote for Dharia.”
These example they have set for current citizens is encouraging because it seems that what is going to get us far in these elections is being ourselves and networking intentionally.
Let the campaigning begin!