Local teens attend Boys and Girls State

At the university, they sleep in the dorms with other roommates. They are taught all about the ways city, country and state government works. Once they are arrive down at Bethel University and SMSU, they are split up into “Cities” and “Countries”. Each city or country had about 29 people in each group. The people in those cities and countries can run for positions within the group. The individual city or country would vote for the most qualified person to represent their group. They can run for positions like Mayor and Councilmen. 

The girls fill their days by listening to women speakers who motivate girls to join government. They try to empower girls and let they know it is okay to join Government, even if it is mostly men. The Boys fill their days by listening to mostly male speakers talk about aspiring to be in Government and how they worked to reach that aspiration.

Attending Girls and Boys State this year was Ashley Moe and Ryce Skime, from Grygla and Cameron Naeseth and Kristin Farris, from Goodridge.

Ashley Moe is the daughter of Jared and Kristi Moe. She is enrolled in Grygla High School. This upcoming school year she will be a senior. This summer, Ashley had the wonderful opportunity to attend the week long program all about our country’s government. Ashley attended the program at Bethel University down by St. Paul. It was a fun and very educational program. She was picked to go to the program due to her good grades and extracurricular activities. She was picked by our school staff. Her Girls State experience was a very good one. She made a lot of fun and cool people, whom she’ll keep in touch with. She stated that saying goodbye to them was very hard to do. Her favorite part of the week was meeting new people and making good friendships with them. She highly encourages girls, when given the opportunity, to go to this program.

Cameron Naeseth is the son of Denise and Davie Naeseth. He is enrolled in Goodridge High School. This upcoming school year he will be a senior. Cameron was granted the honor to go the Boys State through an interview process. The interview took place in Thief River Falls. He had to show why he thought he would be a good candidate for the Boys State program. He was picked to go by the Thief River Falls Legion. Cameron’s week was spent listening to mostly male speakers talk about their experience about wanting to work in Government and how they worked towards that goals of theirs. There was a keynote speaker every day before heading back to his dorm room. His most exciting thing he learned to do was write his very own bill. He enjoyed mixing and mingling with all the other guys there. Making new friends was his favorite part of the whole week.

Kristin Farris is the daughter of Deb and Harry Farris. She is currently enrolled in Goodridge High School. She will be a senior this upcoming school year. She received a lot of insight on taking an active role in community government. She also learned a lot about the history of the armed forces and American history in general. Her favorite part of the week was meeting all the girls in her “city”. She became super close with them within the seven days. Her city group was named Sunfish City; she was in Walleye County of that city. 

Ryce Skime is the son of Darwin Skime. He is currently attending Grygla High School. He will be a senior this upcoming school year. He was picked to go to Boys State by the Grygla staff. He possessed the needed qualities to attend Boys State. He learned a lot about government and the way it worked but the coolest thing he learned would have to be that a regular person could propose a bill in the senate if they follow a certain set of steps. He enjoyed making new friends that will continue to be his friends even after Boys State was finished. He would like to give a huge “Thank you” for the Grygla Legion for sending him to this amazing experience.