Girls State celebrates 70th year

By Taryn Northrup

This year’s annual American Legion Auxiliary South Dakota Girls State is a special one.

Not only are more girls attending than ever before, but it’s also a celebration of the 70th year.

During the early years of The Great Depression, patriotism, unity and an overall knowledge about the government was needed in the U.S.

The American Legion Auxiliary established the first Girls and Boys State programs as “a citizenship training program on the processes of city, county and state government.”

It wasn’t until 1947 that South Dakota Girls State was founded in Mitchell with an enrollment of 117 girls. For many years, the home of the DWU Tigers was also home to hundreds of “cream-of-the-crop” young women from across South Dakota during one week a year.

In 1985, ALA Girls State moved to Brookings with the Jackrabbits. It stayed there for almost 20 years before finding residence in Vermillion among the ‘Yotes.

This year, the first day of Girls State was held, merely by coincidence, on Memorial Day, said 15-year Director Cheryl Hovorka. Donations for the Veterans Affairs Hospital, along with an appearance from Kerwin “Peewee” Douthit, Vietnam War veteran were made in tribute to the national holiday.

With both parents having attended their respected Girls and Boys State programs years ago, delegate Kristen Werpy, St. Paul, is excited to be apart of the 70th year celebration and overall experience that is Girls State.

After her first day, Werpy said her family has instilled the “Proud to be and American” mindset into her and her siblings.

The Girls State program has gone through many changes over the last 70 years, including location, size and leaders. The once 117-enrollment population has more than tripled to one that now exceeds 400 since the foundation’s start 70 years ago.

“Every year, we try and add something that would be of interest to the girls,” Hovorka said, “yet maintain the body of city and local government.”

One thing that has not changed over the years is the organization’s purpose and committment in helping to create a great tomorrow.

Governor Ally Monson poetically embodies the key concepts and expectations entailed with being an ALA South Dakota Girls State representative by encouraging delegates to always be “diligent in our activities, dignified in our words and, above all, patriotic in our actions.”

The message this year is that the 70th anniversary of ALA South Dakota Girls State is one that should be celebrated with great pride as one of the best Girls State programs in the nation.

“How cool is that?” said Dean of Counselors Jody Hoiten, at the welcome assembly Monday night. “Seventy years of being awesome.”