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News of Washington (NOW) Washington High School Sioux Falls, SD
Issue Date: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 Issue: Vol. 11 • No. 24 Last Update: Tuesday, October 11, 2005
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At-a-glance

FILE IN—Girls State representatives file into Slagel Hall on the University of South Dakota Campus this summer. Applications for the 2006 event will be made available to this year’s juniors in the spring. -
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This past summer from May 30 to June 4 juniors from across the state were given the chance to participate in South Dakota Boys and Girls State.

Around 500 students, girls on the University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion and boys on the Northern State University campus in Aberdeen, enjoyed the week-long simulation of local, state and national government as they participated in mock governmental proceedings.

At the event, many Sioux Falls students ran in campaigns, including Lincoln senior Maggie Van Bockern who was elected governor at Girls State. WHS seniors who earned honors included Haley Vellinga as a keynote speaker and Chelsey Shupick elected State Treasurer. At Boys State, senior Brent Jamison was elected Federalist Party Chairman and senior Mike Merry was elected Public Utilities Commissioner.

Boys state attendees selected by an application process included seniors Andrew Beck, Braxton Carter, James Franken, Kevin Haiar, Taylor Hammrich, Ryan Lehr, Tolcha Mesele, Josh Ryan, Sam-Wise Soholt, Benjamin Wehrkamp, Merry and Jamison. Seniors Sara Hughes, Kayla Jackmon, Emmylu O’Donnell, Amy Ritter, Cassandra Tornow, Amanda Vinson, Shupick and Vellinga were Girls State attendees.

Speakers at the conferences included U.S. Senator John Thune and U.S. Representative Stephanie Herseth, as well as South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds.

Lehr said he really enjoyed it the learning experience that Boys State provided.

“It was a learning experience and I really got to learn about new systems of government,” Lehr, who was also elected as a City Auditor and was in the House of Representatives, said.

Ryan also said that he learned a lot at Boys State.

“It wasn’t the most exciting experience, but I really got a lot out of it,” Ryan said.

Beck said he enjoyed all the people he met at the event.

“It was a busy week, but I met a lot of cool people there and there were also many good speakers,” Beck said.

Ritter said the week was a lot of hard, but worth-while, work.

“It was an intense week, but it was fun and I met a lot of great girls,” Ritter said.

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