By Sania Patel – Yucca City Reporter
The 2023 ALA Girls State Program is in full swing at the University of Arizona! Throughout the day in Yucca city, students could be seen running from one meeting to the next as they participated in Precinct Committee meetings, primary elections, clubs, and more. Claire Lewis, Yucca City’s Precinct Committeemen, and Clerk, describes the day as “exhausting, but totally worth it.”
The main focus of the schedule today was completing the primary and general elections for Yucca City’s Mayor and Councilmen.
The nominated students met for two hours just before the general election. Claire Lewis states that the meeting mainly discussed “the numerous responsibilities of the Mayor and the challenges they may face throughout the process.” When asked about the jobs of the Mayor, Claire Lewis responded with a seemingly un-ending list, all of which involved proper communication and leadership skills.
Despite the challenges and the workload, many members of the Girls State program report feeling excited about the program itself and what is to come.
“The opportunity of this program is really profound,” Claire Lewis states, “I mean, it’s hard – no doubt – but the stuff you get from it is great. I mean, without this program, I would have never gotten the chance to apply to the Samsung Scholarship or even have a shot at the Girls Nation [an opportunity for two selected students to travel to Washington, DC, and work with Senators and Representative members to pass proposed bills]”.