Debate, inauguration and planes. Oh my!

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!

Case of the Mondays

The citizens of Cornhusker Girls State 2016 awoke early this morning to tackle their first full day of activities. They didn't waste any time getting to work and began city elections at 8:00 this morning. Candidates and citizens alike received ballots, voted and were left to anxiously await the results given at the afternoon assembly.  In the meantime, those running for state and county positions filed for office with the help of several American Legion Auxiliary members.

After everyone had successfully filed for office, the citizens of Pierce, Lincoln, Grant and Garfield hiked to the Nebraska State Capitol Building while the citizens of Buchanan, Johnson, Hayes and Arthur returned to their floors to take the annual current events quiz. This is the first year in which delegates have been able to visit the capitol for tours. Once there, they received an exclusive historical tour of the building and were able to freely visit the rotunda and observation deck to see the view from the tallest building in Lincoln. After the tours, the groups switched places and the citizens who were at the capitol were given an opportunity to take the quiz. The current events quiz consists of questions pulled from local news stations as well as several newspapers.

Lunchtime was anticipated by many CGS citizens after working up an appetite all morning and was a great mental break to continue meeting new people and campaigning. Before long, the delegates were at it again with our short afternoon assembly. The citizens of Pierce provided our opening and closing ceremonies which sandwiched our city election results. The elected officials beamed as their names were announced to the entire girls state! Following closing ceremonies, the citizens split into Nationalists and Federalists to attend their party conventions. The 2015 CGS representatives to Girls Nation Kamryn Sannicks and Kelsey Thomas led the meetings and helped facilitate discussion throughout. During party conventions, delegates elected party officers, voted on party platforms and drew artwork to represent the party.

Citizens spent another afternoon in their activities making music, going on scavenger hunts or writing newspaper articles before eating dinner. Anticipation was high in the air during this time as the delegates awaited their first joint session with Cornhusker Boys State! Dr. JoAnne Owens-Nauslar spoke for her fifth consecutive year for CGS and 21st consecutive year for CBS. She packed a punch of enthusiasm, information and her own personal charm as she led an interactive presentation with all the citizens. Dr. Jo received multiple standing ovations!

To end the evening, county and state candidates for office donned their best campaign tactics and, in some cases, costumes to convince others to give them a vote. The last event on the docket was town meetings led by the elected mayors on each floor. Mayors led open discussion with their fellow citizens, helped find a solution and voted on a town issue.  Even with a very busy day today, there is an equally thrilling day that awaits Girls State tomorrow!