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Namesakes at Girls State: American Legion Auxiliary Past Department Presidents

Amy Mason-

From Windsor Unit 25

Past Department President in 1986-87 and 2003-04 who followed in her mother’s footsteps as she was

also a past Department President in Vermont.

Currently residing in Windsor Vermont and continues to be an active mentor. She is a retired school

teacher who is very tech-savvy and always willing to help.

Terri-Ann Christie-

From Waterbury Unit 59 Harry N Cutting

Past Unit President, District President, and Department President in 2001-02.

Currently the NEC woman for the department of Vermont and also an active American Legion Auxiliary

member. She is a mentor and lover of the constitution and protocol.

Chris Howard-

From Rutland Unit 31

Past Department President of Unit 59 in 2004-05 and also held most chairmen roles for her unit.

Currently resides in Florida and is still involved in the American Legion Auxiliary.

Rani Gray-

From Waterbury Unit 59 Harry N Cutting

Past Unit President, District President, Department President, NEC Woman, Eastern Division National

Vice President, National Historian, and currently Department Parliamentarian.

Currently lives in Barre Town, but is retired and just bought a home in Florida. She has been with Girls’

State for 16 years (this being her last) and is still an active American Legion Riders Chapter 1o member

and member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

  The Power Behind the Pledge of Allegiance is Not Forgotten

Over the expanse of the last few days, I have grown used to the steady rhythm of the heart beneath my breast. The same drumbeat that it's always seemed to play yet, this time, the meaning behind it appears to have shifted. Hot, heavy, and slow, yet powerful as it thrums against the palm of my right hand. It’s kind of tragic really, how this feeling of gratefulness that taps itself out against my outstretched fingers, is a feeling that I had to dig deep into the trenches of my past to remember. How the last time many of us had performed such a piece, was easily several years ago; back when our weak hands were too small to even cover our heart much less feel it beneath our t-shirts. Yet, now, as I stand with the flag flapping wildly in the wind above my head, elbows brushing awkwardly with those of the girls beside me, I feel my heart welcoming that grateful feeling back into itself again. Especially, as we call forth from the dusty dark chasms of our childhood, the words of the pledge that we’ve long since abandoned. Finally, these lyrics, meant to honor those who fought to allow us to stand where we do today, are serving their purpose. In the flood of green polos, one can see that we truly do represent the one nation that stands, indivisible, even under a greater source of power. Each body in those lines of teenagers, though varying in appearance, attitude, and mind is linked by similar goals of both patriotism and female success as it benefits the nation surrounding her.

Lauren Covey

Town of Howard

There once was a town named Gray,

They passed bills and made motions to stay.

The girls chanted with pride,

As other towns cried.

When Model Town was claimed that day.

By Celia Heath (Town of Gray) and Sofia Wolak (Town of Christie)

Girl’s State Experience

Day 1

So I walked into Girl’s State not sure how the week would go. I set everything in my room; bed made, clothes put away, and everything was going well until I plugged my charger in. I got an electric shock and it fried my only charger for the week; so this is it, this is how my week will go. At that time it felt like nothing was going to go in my favor and the tragedy of this week was slowly unfolding.

Never having experienced a college dorm before no one knew exactly what to bring and if you didn’t bring the right assets it could affect the rest of your week. Not bringing a mattress pad made for a difficult night. “I swear I slept on a brick” one delegate stated the next morning at breakfast. Many people also got paired up with someone they had never met before; going into the first day you would have to meet your new roomie and develop a type of mutual bond for the week, this would be the person you roomed with, lined up with, and made sure was always accounted for, this person essentially became part of you.

The food was a whole other story. It was your basic cafeteria grade food, expected of a college campus. We had everything from pizza to mac & cheese to chicken nuggets and so on. Unfortunately that first night we ran out of ketchup, an essential for chicken nuggets and fries. What a disaster. The cupcakes, however, were to die for…at least the frosting was. The ice cream bar seemed full of variety and a big hit. The next morning at breakfast we had eggs and fruit and French toast and more, and the best part…the ketchup was back. The only flaw with breakfast was the lack of real Vermont maple syrup. Can’t have everything in life.

Once we got into our towns we got to meet up with everyone we were going to be living with for the week. It was interesting seeing all the different styles and personalities everyone was able to display. There were a lot of similarities between girls. Eventually we found each other all with the understanding that we came here knowing nothing about politics or what it meant to run or really what any position meant. Over the course of that first day we all started to understand a little more about each town and party meetings.

Although we were the town of Gray there was nothing dull about us. We came together making new cheers revolving around our town model, Rani Gray, the face behind the name. At breakfast of our first official morning we debut our newest cheer. We were all really excited to see that it went as planned since it never did during practice. We were able to vote, appointing our new friends to important positions in the town. After that was said and done we came together as a town to decorate our hallways. Everyone participated; from making posters to hanging streamers the town of Gray was soon bursting with color.

We are excited to see what the rest of the week entails between the State House visit and the Girl’s State election coming up. It should be an eventful rest of the week!

Abbie P. Julia B. Kenzie T.

Where Are You Searching for College?

By Athena Hendrick and Erika Gebhardt

Regions	States/Global Regions	Cities/Country
New England-15	Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island	Boston, Providence, Burlington, New Haven
Mid Atlantic-10	New Jersey, Virginia, New York	D.C., New York City
Midwest-3	Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana	Chicago
West-4	Colorado, Utah, California	Denver, Colorado Springs
South-1	Florida	Tampa
International-5	Europe, North America, Oceania	New Zealand, Germany, Scotland, England, Ireland

Syrian Refugees in Rutland Vermont

I am afraid of fish. It has been made very clear to me that this is irrational, but as much as that resonates in my mind, I can not allow myself to move beyond the scales, the fast movements, and their little eyes. Because of this fear I hide from opportunities to swim in the beautiful lakes around me and I leave all chances of overcoming my fear simply because I choose not to attempt to change it. My fear is real, It shows on my face, but the chances that my fear will be made real are little to none. It would be easier for me to just avoid fish altogether but with a little courage in time I will overcome my fear. I listen to what Rutland is facing, and all that shows through is fear. Everyone has a fear, and Rutland is no different. The fear that accepting refugees will damage Rutland, I understand it, but that is irrational. Irrational fears are real, but we should not give into them.

It all started with a simple six word sentence. "Syrian refugees are coming to Rutland" As a student in a room filled with people from one wall to the next, I was shocked- in a good way, and tears filled my eyes. Without thinking, in a matter of seconds I had taken those six words and transformed them into one. "Welcome"

It's funny to think that a debate over adding some racial diversity has become so huge and discriminatory in such a small town, but it's funnier to think that it has evolved into a Me. Vs. you on the grounds of those in support and those not. I am standing in support simply because it is the right thing to do, as well as because I am just another human being looking forward to a future where my children can walk down the street and see no signs that put another race at a disadvantage. I hope that one day soon the world will see no difference between a family seeking asylum from a rough past in within local borders and a family seeking asylum from a foreign world.

People seem to be forgetting the fact that 100 individuals does not mean 100 adults who are entering the workforce, involved in the economy, and establishing a home. The concern over the economic impacts is just a cover up, disproved by the fact that within 6 months refugees pay back their  and continue to work towards a life opposite of their lives at home. If everyone is worried about $100,000 being allocated to refugees then take the shirt off of my back and watch as just 99 others follow until every refugee is clothed. If it means my future has one more tax, than for the time being add it onto the list because it will be given right back. If it is safety that you are concerned about, why would someone aiming to cause terror go through the extensive 24 month process of resettlement when they could apply for a tourist visa. Since the 9/11 attacks 750,000 refugees have been resettled and none of them have been arrested on the charges of domestic terrorism. If it is a concern because we are not urbanized, here is our next step to becoming a more urban and modern place. Vermont is behind the modern times in comparison to the rest of the country. We are the least diverse as it gets, but why continue a trend of the past and avoid joining into the melting pot of America, what good does that do us? Yes, like anything challenges are to be overcome, diversity to be expanded.

(Taken directly from an article from more than 18 months ago, “The large majority of these new Vermonters have adapted successfully” to society, economy, and climate markedly unlike that of their homelands… those who suffered severe traumas have overcome even greater challenges, they show remarkable resilience and courage,”)

On the surface I am just a teenager who wears a pin and nods her head. I am humanitarian, just a person hoping that my name never needs to appear on a list of refugees needing to be resettled. I am a voice, however small it may be, that represents years of bloodshed and shame, a lineage of east and west, but at the same time my “American” identity only begins when someone from another country sought out safety and the ability to breathe. Do not take my voice and diminish my importance because of my age (do not take the importance of a refugee and diminish it because of the nationality attached in front of their name) as I am young in age, but a year from now I will be voting for those who supported this.

I am a student, a leader, and a teacher. I am a person who roots for the underdog because of the fact that everyone deserves someone fighting for them to survive. I am the granddaughter of a man not born in the United States, and if he was not welcomed I would in no way be able to kiss him on the cheek and look at his tattoo that serves as a reminder that he fought for America when he was drafted before he was a citizen. My grandfather is no different from our new neighbors as they are running from our enemies, they are on our fighting side and in disbelief that their only choice is to leave their homes, families, and culture to come to a place that is torn over their arrival.

This is important to me as a young and rising adult because i have been taught to treat others the way I wish to be treated for my entire life. If there was one person who was being beat up in a crowd, what would you do? Would you intervene or walk away? If someone was injured, would you call 911 or walk away and say it is not my problem? If it was your future, your daughter and sons, would you say it is my job to give them the best life that they can live? or would you say it is their problem and not my own? What if it was you, what if it was someone that you loved? Would you hope that someone would lay out your bed and tell you that you have a future where it is not a real possibility that in the morning your school will be bombed, and your house burnt to the ground? If it was you on the other end of this conversation, it is impossible to think that you wouldn't wish to be welcomed in?

After the Paris attacks, and those in Brussels, it was no question that your Facebook picture would soon be changed to a flag of support- showing support to those affected. Why is it that there is no issue honoring 130 lives from a foreign country, attacked by an isolated few of their own- but it would be taken as a joke if I were to change my profile picture to a Syrian flag to honor 470,000 lives taken in the Syrian fight against one group who has displaced 3 million externally and 6.5 million internally.

I have been taught to treat others in the way that I wish to be treated. I have been taught that you lend a hand, and help someone who has fallen down get back up. I believe in looking past how a situation was handled and placed before me, and look directly to that situation with no bias or fear. Forget the race, the titles, and the blame, but see through to the people who reflect our past, our present and our futures as one day your lineage and theirs may be connected as has happened in the past which lead directly to every person as they live in America today.