Vol. 15, June 2011 - Bluebonnet Girls State

Vol. 15, June 2011 - Bluebonnet Girls State

“The Bluebonnet” - The Official Journal of Texas Bluebonnet Girls State - Volume 15 - Saturday, June 18, 2011
Over 485 Take Part in 67th Session
By plane, bus, and automobile, 485 young
women from all over Texas traveled to
Texas Lutheran University campus in Seguin to take part in the 67th session of
Bluebonnet Girls State. Participants were
organized into twelve “cities” with between
30 and 50 “citizens” each. They met their
roommates and neighbors and were welcomed by their counselors. Less than 48
hours after arrival, each new community
had written their own charter and elected
city officials.
City A Astronauts Mayor: Megan Modersitki, Council Place 1: Lucy Millsap, Council Place 2: Denise Barrera, Council Place
3: Allyson Rice, Council Place 4: Reagan
Rexford, Council Place 5: Amanda Warwick,
Council Place 6: Ellie Friederich, Treasurer:
Jessaca Rougon, Attorney: Casey Evans,
Tax Assessor/Collector: Natilisa Rodriguez,
Police Chief: Brittany Norris, Health Officer:
Megan Abbott, Fire Chief: Shannon Barry,
Municipal Judge: Sarah Vollman. (Senior
Counselor: Laurel Fiske; Junior Counselors:
Keely Mosher, Amanda Cotten and Kate
Freeman)
City B Beach Babes Mayor: Adelaide
Dollinger, Council Place 1: Adair White,
Council Place 2: Sarah Littlejohn, Council
Place 3: Megan Wisnoski, Council Place 4:
Whitney Thomas, Council Place 5: Kelsey
Lancon, Council Place 6: Kirstin Sylvester,
Treasurer: Lisa Ramon, Attorney: Alyssa
Coy, Tax Assessor/Collector: Vanessa Valdez, Police Chief: Emma Sparkman, Health
Officer: Haley Rivera, Fire Chief: Becca
Bailey, Municipal Judge: Mary Beale.
(Senior Counselor: Emily Saultz; Junior
Counselors: Grace Baen, Shannon Reinert
and Kate Aten)
City C Clownfish Mayor: Chandler
Sant, Council Place 1: Ashley Muñoz, Council Place 2: Drake Tobola, Council Place 3:
Newly arrived Girls State citizens from the Rio Grande Valley.
Kaylie Wilson, Council Place 4: Jordan Caccaro, Council Place 5: Amina Karedia,
Council Place 6: Kristen Olson, Attorney:
Evelena McCutcheon, Tax Assessor/
Collector: Anahy Castro, Police Chief: Akiko
Scott, Health Officer: Kristen Beck, Fire
Chief: Michelle Hochstein, Municipal Judge:
Allison Koehn. (Senior Counselor: Morgan
Germany; Junior Counselors: Katie
McFarland and Sarah Scalia)
City D Dolphins Mayor: Zoë Olavarri,
Council Place 1: Marissa Garcia, Council
Place 2: Sage Kinsey, Council Place 3:
Samantha Tschoepe, Council Place 4: Ashley Hagelgans, Attorney: Taylor Rowe, Tax
Assessor/Collector: Serena Reese, Police
Chief: Rosa Valdovinos, Health Officer:
Amber Hubbard, Fire Chief: McKenzie Legget, Municipal Judge: Miki Evans. (Senior
Counselor: Audrey Huffman; Junior Counselors: Hillary Everts and Hannah Watt)
City E Energizers Mayor: Stephanie
Parns, Council Place 1: Erin Daughtery,
Council Place 2: Jenna Harrison, Council
Place 3: Chelsea Hall, Council Place 4:
Lindsay Belus, Council Place 5: Maegan
Ware, Council Place 6: Valerie Briell, Treasurer: Katie Ferrick, Tax Assessor/Collector:
Becca Hawkenson, Attorney: Kasey Ann
Herrera, Police Chief: Shelby Shepard,
Health Officer: Kathleen Jones, Fire Chief:
Emily Gayle Lewis, Municipal Judge: Karlie
Wilbern. (Senior Counselor: Allie Benson;
Junior Counselors: Hillary Plocheck,
Cassidy Hurwitz and Kylie Kelder)
City F Fireworks Mayor: Talon Romick,
Council Place 1: Catherine Ken, Council
Place 2: Alex Hall, Council Place 3: Catherine Bennett, Council Place 4: Katie
Donaldson, City Treasurer: Mira Patel, Attorney: Emily Davidson, Tax Assessor/
Collector: Allyson Gross, Police Chief: Tessa
Russell, Health Officer: Betsy Quevedo, Fire
Chief: Amanda Chapa, Municipal Judge:
Stacy Sullivan. (Senior Counselor: Lauren
(continued on page 2)
“The Bluebonnet” Page 2
Nats, Feds Pick Leaders: Party Convention Results
Because the Girls State program is entirely
non-partisan, citizens operate with mock political parties. They elect precinct, county and
state party officials, and write their own party
platforms. The program was led by Party Coordinator Emalee Harmon and Fed Party
Sponsors Pollyana Halling and Ellen Addison
and Nat Party Sponsors Elizabeth Sutherland
and Ashley Poston.
National Party State Chair: Kallie Fuchs,
Vice-Chair: Jenna Dunn, House Whip: Vinamrata Singel, Senate Whip: Sarah Gates Friendship County Chair: Korey Lane, Pct. 1: JR Holt,
Pct. 2: Hailey Knab, Pct.3: Katherine Faulk
Chili County Chair: Megan Neuhoff, Pct. 1:
Courtney Ledger, Pct. 2: Abby Sisk, Pct. 3:
Akiko Scott Goff County Chair: Young-Jee
Jung, Pct. 1: Tiara Hansen, Pct. 2: Tia Watson,
Pct. 3: Casey Jo Knapp Giant County Chair:
Annie Kresek, Pct. 1: Breanna Lind, Pct. 2:
Keni Sabath, Pct. 3: Kimberly Krumm Pecan
County Chair: Tori Clement, Pct. 1: Jaquala
Couch, Pct. 2: Sarah Gates, Pct. 3: Stephanie
Wythe Tejas County Chair: Annie Alexander,
Pct. 1: Miranda Garrott, Pct. 2: Emily Guthrie,
Pct. 3: Emma Watson
Federal Party State Chair: Miriam Felder,
Vice-Chair: Tara McCullough, House Whip:
Montana Blair, Senate Whip: Paloma Rivera
Friendship County Chair: Mayelisa Gasca,
Pct.1: Megan Modersitzki, Pct. 2: Sarah
Stiles, Pct. 3: Faith Castillo Chili County Chair:
Catherine Anne Prideaux, Pct. 1: Stephanie
Bossert, Pct. 2: Aditi Singh, Pct. 3: Pronoma
Debnath Goff County Chair: Victoria Volker,
Pct. 1: Laura Lynn Grander, Pct. 2: Shauna
Kim, Pct. 3: Bre’ana Stafford Giant County
Chair: Katlyn Delp, Pct. 1: Kristyn Miller, Pct.
2: Aanchal Saraf, Pct. 3: Medley Hinman Pecan County Chair: Jill Moss, Pct. 1: Tamia
Brice, Pct. 2: Hailey Stevenson, Pct. 3: Naomi
Varnis Tejas County Chair: Sierra Vernon, Pct.
1: Lisa Hsiao, Pct. 2: Ellen Hense, Pct. 3:
Mandi Minzenmeyer
(continued from page 1)
Perryman; Junior Counselors: Amie Magallon
and Kailey Peck)
City G Guppies Mayor: Jennifer Gutierrez,
Council Place 1: Kaitlin Wetz, Council Place 2:
Jennifer Timmermann, Council Place 3: Marikit Tomlinson, Council Place 4: Erin Watson,
Council Place 5: Sinthuja Devarajan, Council
Place 6: Kacy Little, Treasurer: Maggie Smith,
Attorney: Breanna Lind, Tax Assessor/
Collector: Kirsten Schroeden; Police Chief:
Emily Grobe, Health Officer: Abby Smalligan,
Fire Chief: Clarissa Ramirez, Municipal Judge:
Ashley Swenson (Senior Counselor: Kate Ehmke; Junior Counselors: Brittany Buffum and
Monica Zuniga)
City H Honeybees Mayor: Kaitlin Noser,
Council Place 1: Kimberly Krumm, Council
Place 2: Tayler Chambless, Council Place 3:
Murphy Vandermotter, Council Place 4: Alex
Pottorff, Treasurer: Jenna Gonzalez, Attorney:
Jazmin Crookes, Tax Assessor/Collector:
Anna Walker, Police Chief: Hallie Taylor,
Health Officer: Tina Pham, Fire Chief: Chazmin Peterson-Calip, Municipal Judge: Bethany
Roubion. (Senior Counselor: Renda Barr; Junior Counselors: Jeyde Kelly and Katie Stewart)
City I Islanders Mayor: Tamia Brice,
Council Place 1: Ivonne Corona, Council Place
2: Mariah Cruz, Council Place 3: Heather Cox,
Council Place 4: Payten Spielberger, Treasurer: Phuong Huynh, Attorney: Stephanie
Whisenant, Tax Assessor/Collector: Elizabeth
Spence, Police Chief: Stacy Rendon, Health
Officer: Danielle Perales, Fire Chief: Dominique Robertson, Municipal Judge: Jenny
Garms. (Senior Counselor: Jenna White; Junior Counselors: Jessica Evey and Anabeth
Fuller)
City J Javas Mayor: Caroline Nelson,
Council Place 1: IZ Odgers, Council Place 2:
Remington Couts, Council Place 3: Maddy
Marrs, Council Place 4: Denise Chavez, Council Place 5: Cristina Kilmain, Council Place 6:
Natalie Olivares, Treasurer: Angelynn May,
Attorney: Sid Mitchell, Tax Assessor/Collector:
Claire Culver, Health Officer: Rachel Cantu,
Fire Chief: Carlynn Hill, Municipal Judge:
Georgeanne Palmer. (Senior Counselor:
Mauri King; Junior Counselors: Rebecca Rob-
bins and Melinda Zanner)
City K Kaleidoscopes Mayor: Danielle
Garcia, Council Place 1: Lara Samarneh,
Council Place 2: Megan Askew, Council Place
3: Caprice Erickson, Council Place 4: Savannah Wessies, Treasurer: Emily Parker, Attorney: Perri Hockema, Tax Assessor/Collector:
Emily Barton, Police Chief: Nikki Sorenson,
Fire Chief: Lexi Edwards, Municipal Judge:
Stephanie Tsai. (Senior Counselor: Lilliebeth
Halling; Junior Counselors: Shelby Langford
and Anna Van Buskirk)
City L Leprechauns Mayor: Lillian Miess,
Council Place 1: Margaret Hill, Council Place
2: Jordan Speir, Council Place 3: Rebecca
Reyes, Council Place 4: Sara Linsley, Council
Place 5: Megan Klein, Council Place 6: Ashley
Manchee, Treasurer: Kim Tran, Attorney: Angelica Fitzgerald, Tax Assessor/Collector:
Mandi Minzenmeyer, Police Chief: Shelby
McCutcheon, Health Officer: Miranda Garrott,
Fire Chief: Jenna Davis, Municipal Judge:
Andrea Halloran. (Senior Counselor: Jenny
Denny; Junior Counselors: Rachel Herrod,
Taylor Cavazos and Alli Williams)
“The Bluebonnet” Page 3
State Elections: Nats’ Sabath, Watson Take Top Spots
On Thursday, June 16th, National Party candidate Keni Sabath was elected 2011 Bluebonnet Girls State Governor. Tia Watson was
elected Lieutenant Governor. Other winners
were Irene Cofie, Attorney General; Stephanie Bossert, Comptroller of Public Accounts;
Hailey Stevenson, Commissioner of General
Land; Fallon Boenig, Agricultural Commissioner; Aanchal Saraf, Railroad Commissioner; Anna Rigby, Presiding Judge of Court
of Criminal Appeals; Casey Jo Knapp, Chief
Justice of Supreme Court. Citizens also approved a constitutional amendment that
establishes annual sessions of the Texas
Legislature.
On Friday, June 17th, citizens traveled
to Austin where Girls State senators and
their representatives convened their annual
mock legislature in the State Capitol. Later, a
joint session gathered in the Texas House
chambers to inaugurate newly elected state
officials. The Honorable Michael Keasler
addressed the citizens and administered the
oath of office. State officials were escorted by
their real life counterparts: Linda Smith, Executive Assistant to Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, Supreme Court of Texas; Honorable
Michael Keasler; Andrew Kiefer, Chief of Staff
to Elizabeth Ames Jones, Railroad Commissioner; Shannon Rusing, Chief of Staff to Todd
Staples, Agriculture Commissioner; Larry
Laine, Chief Deputy, representing Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of General Land Office;
Raette Hearn, Dir. of Agency Administration,
representing Comptroller Susan Combs; Stacey Napier, Senior Counsel, representing Attorney General Greg Abbott; Don Green, Senior Advisor, representing Lt. Governor David
Dewhurst; and Diana King, President, ALA
Department of Texas.
After a picnic lunch on the Capitol
grounds, citizens returned to Seguin. The evening concluded with a talent show and celebrations in each of the cities.
Citizens who performed throughout the session include: Chandler Sant, Caroline Nelson,
Heather Cox, Lillian Miess, Emily Gayle Lewis, Eliza Odgers, Jenna Dunn, Haley Riveria, Megan
Abbott, Stacy Rendon, Alyssa Clift, Priya Patel, Sarah Qin, Krystal Kurtz, Sarah Gates, Lynda
Brundin, Emma Watson, Nahime Aguirre, Shannon Ryan, Stephanie Wythe, Kristen Olsen,
Natalie Olivares, Shannon Zhou, Megan Davis, Kodee Jones, Anna Rigby, Aanchal Saraf and
Irene Colie. Gina Zavorka played horn at flag lowering.
Speaker, President Pick Floor
Leaders
Floor Leaders are distinguished positions in the legislature at Girls State.
They are chosen by their respective
presiding officers to serve as mentors
for their fellow legislators. In the real
world they are also spokespersons for
their party and organize party strategy.
The Senate Floor Leaders are
Emily Guthrie (National Party) and
Haley Czarnek (Federal Party).
House Floor Leaders are Nicole
Moody (National Party) and Christina
Faseler (Federal Party).
This yearʼs legislative staff members are Speaker of the House Anna
Beth White and President of the Senate Kate Hartfield. Jackie Cheng,
Emilee Larkin and Priyanka Patel are
the Legislative Assistants for the
House. Gable Brady, Annabelle Hutchinson and Lainey Murdock are the
Legislative Assistants in the Senate.
“The Bluebonnet” Page 4
Girls Nation delegates, Outstanding Citizens picked
Girls Nation delegates: Aanchal Saraf (on left) and Anna Rigby (on right) with Connie Bridges
Two girls are selected from each Girls
State program across America to attend
Girls Nation, a national government training
program. Anna Rigby of League City (ALA
Unit 554) and Aanchal Saraf of The Woodlands (ALA Unit 305) will represent Texas at
Girls Nation in July. First alternate is Hailey
Knab of Pottsboro (ALA Unit 231) and second alternate is Keni Sabath of Missouri City
(ALA Unit 77).
Girls Nation “senators” meet for a week
in Washington, D.C., where they run for office, enact legislation and meet with U.S.
Representatives and Senators. Capping off
the week is a meeting with the President of
the United States.
Twelve citizens were chosen
“Outstanding Citizens of 2011” by their peers
within each city. They are Kaitlin Phillips (City
A), Carson Alsop (City B), Pronoma Debnath (City C), Stephanie Bossert (City
D), Christina Faseler (City E), Anna Rigby (City
F), Aanchal Saraf (City G), Tara McCullough (City H), X (City I), Hailey Stevenson (City
J), Lexi Edwards (City K), and Irene Cofie (City
L).
During closing assembly, Director Connie
Bridges recognized the contributions of
Bluebonnet Girls Stateʼs over eighty staff
members. They are unpaid volunteers, either former citizens or members of the
American Legion Auxiliary. Those not mentioned previously include: Associate Directors: Ann Doan, Karen Miller-Rodriguez, Lori
Swann; Education Coordinator: Melissa Boddie; Education Staff: Emma Fullerton,
Brooke Barnett, Jessica Scott; County Advisors: Samantha Ansley, Jessa Barniol, Debra
Lin, Audrea Eichman, Katie Foehrkolb, Elizabeth Bledsoe; Talent Chair: Phyllis Janke;
Talent: Emily Toensing, Ali Almanza and
Megan Thibodeaux; Bank: Martha Collis,
Myra Hester, Barbara Kundert, Robbi Ruppert; Office: Stephanie McDonald, Charlotte
Toulouse, Pat Wanoreck; Nurses: Lynda
Redix, Carolyn Whitener; Gift Shop Manager:
Bridget Trawhon; Store: Virginia Donnelly,
Sarah Urbanosky, Dabney Hegan and Dixie
Jones; Transportation: Sharon Gavin; Media
Relations: Jessica Scott and Charlotte Toulouse.
For more information about the Texas Bluebonnet Girls State program, contact:
The American Legion Auxiliary
Department of Texas
P.O. Box 140407
Austin, TX 78714-0407
Phone: 512-476-7278 Fax: 512-482-8391
Email: alatexas@txlegion.org
County Election Results: Nats Best Feds 26 to 22
Friendship Commissioners Place 1: Kelsey Orsak, Commissioners Place 2: Hannah
Heiser, County Judge: Kelsey Harkins, County
Attorney: Kate Woodrum, Tax Assessor/
Collector: Emily Zboril, County Clerk: Priscilla
Rios, Sheriff: Katherine Faulk, Justice of the
Peace: Krislyn Koehn
Chili Commissioners Place 1: Hannah
Chen, Commissioners Place 2: Tawni Myers,
County Judge: Hannah Trejo, County Attorney:
Erin Ramirez, Tax Assessor/Collector: Corinne
Martinez, County Clerk: Teegan Luckemeyer,
Sheriff: Hadley Brown, Justice of the Peace:
Alysia Lambros
Goff Commissioners Place 1: Summer
Lindler, Commissioners Place 2: Kelsey Danklefs, County Judge: Jenna Cook, County Attorney: Helen Ask, Tax Assessor/Collector: Katie
Shaw, County Clerk: Annaliese Virnau, Sheriff:
Robin Baker, Justice of the Peace: Kathryn
Carr
Giant Commissioners Place 1: Sarah
Butler, Commissioners Place 2: Lexi Rogers,
County Judge: Samantha Mohun, County Attorney: Lindsey Anderson, Tax Assessor/
Collector: Brea McCrady, County Clerk: Martha Chumchal, Sheriff: Haley Williams, Justice
of the Peace: Alyssa Clift
Pecan Commissioners Place 1: Rachel
Williams, Commissioners Place 2: Bianca
Upshaw, County Judge: Madi Polston, County
Attorney: Logan Reed, Tax Assessor/Collector:
Emily Drastata, County Clerk: Naeemah Cato,
Sheriff: Megan Mason, Justice of the Peace:
Shannon Zhou
Tejas Commissioners Place 1: Katelyn
Mize, Commissioners Place 2: Lauren Parr,
County Judge: Marylynn Smitherman, County
Attorney: Emily Rybarski, Tax Assessor/
Collector: Yanita De Leon, County Clerk: Colleen McNeir, Sheriff: Lacee Kight, Justice of
the Peace: Erica Halpern