By Violet Spader, Staff Writer
May 25, 2008 01:24 am
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Several selected Garfield County girls will get a first-hand look at government during a week-long program for high school juniors that promotes citizenship and government while earning them college credit.
“They’re going to get a much better understanding of government and how it works,” Velma Yeager, local Girls State director, said.
Participants will also be able to know how they could work in the government in the future, Yeager said.
The program is sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary, and 23 girls from eight Garfield County schools will participate in Girls State Sunday through May 31 at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.
The week-long program gives participants an entire semester’s worth of credit in government. Two of the more than 400 girls who will participate in the program will be chosen to go to Washington, D.C., to represent the state.
The program is conducted by American Legion Auxiliary and helps participants learn the duties and responsibilities of citizenship by actual participation as citizens of a mythical state, according to information provided by the auxiliary. It first was held in 1940 and has been held annually except for two years during World War II.
Each girl chosen must be sponsored with donations.
“They’ll just become a better person because of Girls State,” Yeager said.
Area Girls State participants include:
Cimarron High School
Monica Johnson, daughter of Marlene Karner-Johnson and Rod-ney John-son.
John-son’s activities include active participation in FCCLA, BPA and student council.
Chisholm High School
Jennifer Keuchel, daughter of David and Terri Keuchel.
Kuechel is student council reporter, Art Club treasurer and a member of Spanish Club. She will attend the Nation-al Student Council Conference this summer.
Kuechel has been on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll and participates in Na-tional Honor Society. She is a member of the cross country and golf teams.
Kuechel attends St. Greg-ory’s Catholic Church.
Sara Moehle, daughter of Michael and Jana Moehle, Car-rier.
Moehle is a member of Chisholm High School band, FCCLA, student council and National Honor Society.
She has earned membership to OMEA All-State Band, OSSBDA All-State Band and is a three-time outstanding soloist for B-flat clarinet at Tri-State Music Festival.
Moehle is an Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute alumna.
Covington-Douglas H.S.
Breanna Bergdall, daughter of Ross and Barbara Bergdall, Douglas.
Bergdall is a member of FCCLA, National Honor Soci-ety, cross country team and track team. She has won medals at both regional and state track meets.
She maintains a 4.0 GPA and is on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll.
Enid High School
Mary Patocka, daughter of Keith and Rebecca Patocka.
Patocka plays varsity softball for EHS and is a member of a traveling softball team in Perry. She is a member of Na-tional Ho-nor Society and is on the Principal’s Honor Roll.
Patocka is a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, where she teaches vacation Bible school.
Tricity M. Andrew, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. E.R. Andrew and Mrs. Don Evers.
She is a member of National Honor Society with a 4.0 GPA. She is on the varsity track team and cross country teams.
From 2003 to 2006, Andrew attended summer TAG classes at SMU in Dallas. Last year, she was selected to take summer classes at Cambridge University in England. This summer she will be attending Lead America classes in Washington, D.C.
Madison Pastor, daughter of Peter and Brenda Pastor.
Pastor has been treasurer of her class at EHS for the past two years and currently is the assistant drum major for the Big Blue Band. She plays soccer and volleyball and is a member of National Honor Society.
She has gained experience at the state Capitol, working with Rep. Mike Jack-son.
Laura Good, daughter of Martin and Charla Good.
Good is a varsity cheerleader and a member of band. She is in-volved in flute and saxophone choir, National Honor Society, Young Demo-crats and Circle of Friends.
Good is a teen volunteer at Integris Bass Baptist Health Center and is a youth diaconate at her church, where she also is active in youth group.
Kimberly Justine Olesen, daughter of Neil and Patti Olesen.
Olesen is a member of Na-tional Ho-nor So-ciety, Na-tional Ho-nors Con-vocation, National Society of High School Scholars, Who’s Who Among American High School Students, United States Achievement Academy, Pre-sidential Classroom, Kids on the Block, Community Service Club, Spanish Club, Congres-sional Student Leadership and Youth Leadership.
She is a varsity volleyball and soccer player, and has participated in swim team. Olesen will attend Oklahoma School of Science and Math in Enid next year, and also will be treasurer of student council.
Olesen is a lifeguard and swim instructor at YMCA.
Aly Gideon, daughter of Jennifer Gideon.
Gideon participates in drama, debate, select choir, journalism, Young Democrats and Spanish Club at EHS. Next year, she will serve as president of EHS Dra-ma and Debate, editor-in-chief of “The Quill,” EHS’ student newspaper and senior class reporter.
This year, Gideon had roles in both Enid High plays and recently starred in Gaslight Theatre’s “Eleemosynary.”
She serves as president of the Youth Council at Christian Church of the Covenant (Disciples of Christ).
Garber High School
Karli Hostetler, daughter of Brady and Mendy Hostetler.
Hostetler is involved in FFA, FCA, 4-H, Spanish Club, Oklahoma Honor Society and National Honor So-ciety. She is included in Who’s Who Among American High School Students and has been on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll. Hostetler also participates in basketball, slow-pitch softball and track.
She attended the Washing-ton Citizenship Focus this year, and was selected to be a member of Garfield County Roots program. Hostetler also participated in the Oklahoma State University Fall Agricultural Leadership Conference.
Laura Grimes, daughter of Paul and Lisa J. Grimes.
Grimes is active in band, where she plays flute and piccolo. She is co-captain of the color guard, and has earned honors at Tri-State Musical Festival and district solo contests.
Grimes is FCCLA reporter and a candidate for National Honor Society. She is ac-tive in Spanish Club, FCA and prom committee. She participated in a mission trip with IGO Global to Koln, Germany, in the summer of 2007.
Grimes is a member of First Baptist Church in Enid.
Kremlin-Hillsdale H.S.
Tomiko Lakin, daughter of Sid and Linda Lakin.
Lakin is a member of Fellowship of Christian Ath-letes and National Honor Society. She plays clarinet for the Kremlin-Hillsdale band and is a yearbook staff member.
Lakin was named basket-ball homecoming queen. She plays both fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball, as well as basketball.
She is a member of Hillsdale Bible Church.
Lola Melanie DeWitt, daughter of Randy and Terri Siebert.
DeWitt is involved in youth group at Central Assembly Church of God and enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading and community service.
Jimmie McBride, daughter of Mark McBride and Lynda Bowen.
McBride is active in cheerleading, FFA and track. Her best memories in high school include cheering at football games and attending the FFA State Con-vention.
She en-joys spend-ing time with her family.
Carley Faye Miller, daughter of Jeff Miller and Jean Gash.
Miller is involved in National Honor Society, FFA, FCA and Teens Need Teens. She also plays basketball for KHS and is a band member.
Miller is junior class re-porter and FFA and band re-porter.
She is a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Fairmont.
Oklahoma Bible Academy
Alison Leathers, daughter of Dick and Barbara Leathers.
Leathers plays varsity basketball and softball. She is president of Autry Tecnology Center’s chapter of Business Profes-sionals of America. She is active in her youth group at Emmanuel Baptist Church and mentors a group of sixth-grade girls.
Leathers was a participant in the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Academy, as well as the ROOTS class of 2007 - Garfield County Leadership Program. She was selected as the Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis Foundation 2007 Sophomore of the Year and has served as an Oklahoma House of Repre-sentatives page for Rep. Mike Jackson.
Blaire Kyser Stevison, daughter of Harold and Judy K. Stevison.
Stevison is a member of the OBA Lady Trojans varsity golf team and has served on yearbook staff. She assists with fundraising activities for OBA and is on the board of Habitat for Humanity.
Stevison is director of OBA’s concession stand and tutors McKinley Elementary School students at First Presbyterian Church.
She is a member of First United Methodist Church, where she teaches vacation Bible school and attends weekly Bible study.
Pioneer High School
Jordan Morris, daughter of Jack and Kenda Morris.
Morris is a member of band, where she plays the flute. She has attended several honor bands and was first alternate at Small School All-State this year.
She is involved in cheerleading and golf. Morris is a member of FCCLA, Beta Club and student council.
Her volunteer activities include giving time at Northwest Oklahoma Blood In-stitute and teaching vacation Bible school.
Danielle Marie Comstock, daughter of Jack and Gerri Comstock.
Comstock has been in-volved in basketball, softball, bowling and golf at Pioneer. She participates in 4-H, Beta Club, FCCLA and plays flute in band.
During the summer, she has served as a counselor for Junior 4-H Camp and helped with vacation Bible schools.
She also has helped with YWCA Girl Power rallies.
Waukomis High School
Kathryn “Shade” Ehardt, daughter of David and Lori Ehardt.
Ehardt’s activities include student council, competitive cheerleading and she is a junior class officer.
Ehardt plans on joining the Navy in the future and pursuing a career in the medical field.
Audrey Gragg, daughter of Todd and Amy Gragg.
Gragg is on the Superin-tendent’s Honor Roll. She is president of the junior class, president of the Waukomis FCCLA chapter, a member of student council and a cheerleader.
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