The sun rose on Thursday morning and welcomed the Girls Staters to a thrilling and active day. After breakfast, the citizens were given free time to hang out with their floor mates (although some chose power napping) before they departed for a morning joint session. Delegates were particularly on their toes during the entire session because it was a debate between Nebraska Democratic Party Chairman Vince Powers and Nebraska Republican National Committeeman J.L. Spray. Both the Boys and Girls State media groups posed questions for the speakers. Sample questions included what their positions do, how their parties' platforms evolve over time and how youth can get involved in the political process. As in any debate, the speakers toyed around the questions and threw around some friendly banter. When they hit key issues, delegates cheered and even gave multiple standing ovations. Overall, citizens of Boys and Girls State seemed to be interested in and entertained by the debate.
Once they returned for lunch, CGS citizens donned their best walking shoes and traveled the mile and a half to the Nebraska State Capitol Building. Today the temperature reached up to 99 degrees! The delegates still acted cool despite the heat and successfully made it to the Capitol for inauguration in the rotunda. The state officials were sworn into office by Supreme Court Chief Justice Emma Redinger. Joined by her mother and other family, Cornhusker Girls State Governor Taylor Schendt gave her inaugural address. Schendt discussed how honored and proud she was to have been elected, spoke of how inspiring her fellow citizens were and gave closing advice to the rest of Girls State.
After the colors were retired, delegates split into their respective offices. Citizens met current people in their elected or appointed positions and spent time all across Lincoln visiting offices. Simultaneously, the Supreme Court met and the Legislature had session in the old legislative chambers. The state senators proposed, amended and passed or vetoed the bills that they wrote on Wednesday. The final bills will be read at graduation on Saturday.
The last journey for the day was to the Nebraska National Guard base near the Lincoln airport. Citizens were picked up in National Guard buses and escorted to the base by lively, comical drivers. Once they arrived, they were given tours of the hangar and were able to climb inside military helicopters such as the UH-72 Lakota. They also saw the tools used to dump water over wildfires, talked to military medical staff and tried on pilots helmets. Citizens were even able to sit in the cockpit of the huge in-air refueling aircrafts stationed at the base. CGS delegates marched with the soldiers to their last stop at the base, a building where they could see the Joint Operations Center and talk with recruiters. Top the evening off with serenading bus drivers on the way back to Sandoz Hall, and you will have many citizens claiming it as the most fun event and best day so far!
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