<p>I just found out today that my school supports the Girls/boys State Program. I went to the person in charge and recieved the instructions. She told me that tommorrow is the interview!! I aquired all of the materials that I need, including reccomendations by pulling some strings. I believe that my reccomendations are good, but I only have one day to prepare for the interview. Ahhh! Someone, Please HELP ME!!! If anyone has gone through one of these interviews for Boys or girls state, could you please tell me some of the interview questions?! I am really nervous because I sincerely want to attend. Thank you so much!</p>
<p>Relax...could you try a quick practice interview? </p>
<p>Have one of your parents or a teacher ask questions like:</p>
<p>Why do you want to attend Boys State?</p>
<p>What positions will you campaign for?</p>
<p>What are your goals after high school?</p>
<p>Tell us a little about yourself...</p>
<ul>
<li>Dress neatly, make eye contact as you introduce yourself, and remember to breathe! Be yourself, they will be able to tell you really want to go. </li>
</ul>
<p>Best wishes!</p>
<p>So, how was the interview and when will you hear?</p>
<p>I thought that the interview went really well. Thanks for asking. Hopefully I will hear back soon, but I really do not know. On the plus side, several girls interviewed and the men interviewing said that it was me and one other girl competing for the spot. It sounds like I'm still in the running....hopefully.</p>
<p>I hope you are selected to go. My son was not selected for SLS at West Point, but he did get selected for Boy's State. He learned quite a bit about how our state govenment works and enjoyed meeting students from all over our state. He ran for a couple of offices that week and was elected a county commissioner. Several of the counselors were in the military...it was a great experience for him. </p>
<p>The American Legion Post that sponsored him invited their Boys and Girls State attendees to a dinner a month or so after the week long camp. Surprise! they all had to give a little speech - of course the girls were prepared! </p>
<p>Good luck, I am glad the interview went well!</p>
<p>I got it!!! i just found out today that I was selected to attend Girls State. I am so excited!!!!! if anyone has any stories, input, advice ect. about girls/boys state I would really appreciate it. Thanks for all of your support everyone!</p>
<p>Congratulations, friartown09! :) </p>
<p>Have you found the website for your state's Girls/Boys State? You may find some good information there about this excellent leadership week. I hope you have fun when you go! </p>
<p>praying eagle, will you be going to Boys/Girls State, too?</p>
<p>Hello from an Iowa (Hawkeye) Girls' Stater from, well, awhile back ago! ;) </p>
<p>Let me say first that when I was chosen by my American Legion Auxiliary to attend, I did not know exactly what Am. Legion Aux. Girls State was. We were chosen not by interview, but by recommendations from our high school with a preference for sons/daughters of veterans. My father was a WWII veteran, and I was active in 4-H leadership roles, band, and other community activities. When the phone call first came through to my parents that I had been selected to attend, my father actually cried. My first reaction? "I'll have to see... I've already been selected for a 4-H Conservation Camp that week of June." However, when I realized how important this was to my father and that I had to make a choice of which one to attend, I realized the Girls State week was a huge honor and I canceled my 4-H CC plans (also an honor to be selected for).</p>
<p>I guess in a quick synopsis, Boys/Girls State could be described as a week-long, hands-on learning experience in government. Hands-on in that it is set up to teach participants-by their actual involvement-the procedures used to select public officials (whether elected or appointed) for local, city, county and state positions.</p>
<p>With that said, each state's Boys/Girls State structure is slightly different, dependent upon the type of government structure the state has. Since Iowa uses a caucus system, the week was structured to teach how a caucus state chooses their delegates to state conventions and give learn-by-doing experience in establishing party platforms in addition to the election and appointment of candidates to office. </p>
<p>Our week began by a chartered bus ride to the college campus where Girls State was held. (Some states still do this, but some may expect their participants to arrange their own transportation.) I was the only one from my town, maybe only 2 of us from my county selected to attend that year. While it may seem awkward to you to get on a bus with a bunch of girls (or guys) you do not know, I strongly recommend you take the opportunity to board the bus and get to know a few of the names and faces of those from your geographic area. It will help if you decide to run for office and will help "break the ice" for the week ahead.</p>
<p>Upon arrival and registration, you will be assigned to a political party (we had 'nationalists' and 'federalists', no choosing!), and assigned to a city and county within your mythical state. Once again, states may do this differently. Iowa Girls State was the mythical state of "Hawkeye", but I do know that at least for Boys' State, Tennessee uses their real state name. Another interesting side note: our roommate assignment was someone of the opposite party! </p>
<p>As the week begins, you will be instructed and led by adult leaders on selection (election and appointments) of local and city positions within your party. I was chosen to act as both ward and precinct caucus chairman because I was the only one in those smaller groups who knew correct parliamentary procedure (4-H experience! That was a plus, I believe, and if you do not know the basics of parly pro now, you might want to learn how to properly conduct a meeting before Girls State. It will help in many ways in your future besides this one week...you'd be surprised how many adults do not know how to properly state a motion in a meeting!). </p>
<p>As you progress through each level of government up through your state party nominee for governor, your groups will be developing your party's state platform. If you choose to run for an office, you will be giving campaign speeches, or if not you may give introductions for those who are running. You will also be campaigning for yourself or for others through talking/shaking hands, making posters, asking for your party member's votes and getting a quota of signatures. This can be fun, so don't get too serious about the whole process, and be creative. I ran for my party's state nomination for Secretary of Agriculture (one of four). Although I did not win, it was great experience and I made a lot of friends that I actually saw again once in college at my chosen state university.</p>
<p>All in all, this was a great week!</p>
<p>Now, my son's experience at Boys State this past summer was quite a bit different. Boys States are quite a bit bigger (600 or so participants) where Girls States are generally smaller groups (250-300). Once again, this varies by state. He felt like a lot of the participants were there for the wrong reasons, most not caring a hoot about the political/government lessons and wanting to only play sports. I am not sure how these kids were selected: we inquired about him going because we knew the service academies look at Girls/Boys State on applications. And like usservicemom's son, our son missed getting to go to SLS at WP. Our son had taken US Govt at school during his jr. year so already knew a lot about the processes he was practicing. </p>
<p>Another major difference between Boys and Girls State seems to be the use of Army-style city formations when moving from site to site. The guys are basically established in companies and march in formation. Our son acted as Guide for his city, carrying the Guide-On (Flag). Thus his nickname, "Flagdude". He also ran for and was elected to State Court of Appeals at the end of the week. Best I can remember, Girls State was not set up in such a regimented style, we sang songs in the large group settings, and we had some state female dignitaries who spoke on the importance of community involvement. </p>
<p>All in all, his week was not as enjoyable as mine (difficult roommate who text-messaged into the wee hours of the night tho' cell phones were not supposed to have been allowed, different attitudes for the why's of attending, etc.). BUT, he got to know some great guys who shared his understanding of the week and he still maintains contact with some through Facebook. I think it taught him a lot about getting along with others who you don't necessarily feel you have any common ties with, and it definitely gave him an edge at understanding the political processes our country is going through during this election year. He found his niche by the end of the week and was actually smiling in some of the posted website photos, so all was not lost in the process!</p>
<p>Now, one final note: If you decide to run for office, particularly a higher one, my son noticed the most effective method used by the very-likeable newly elected governor was just getting out and talking sincerely to the others in attendance. He did not promise he would be so much better than his counterparts or that he would work to improve x, but just that he wanted to get to know and talk personally to as many guys as he could. Just one idea that seemed to work for an effective campaign. </p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
Hi, this was really long time ago, and you probably dont remember, but i’ll ask anyways. What kind of questions did they ask and how did you answer? I got nominated and I have some tough competition among my peers. I really need this to get some political experience. Thank you
I just got my application for girls state today and my counselor said my interview is tomorrow. Does anyone have any advice as to what questions they ask or more specifically proper ways to answer them? Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance!
Have excellent posture. Sit up straight - no slouching. Give a firm handshake. Be sure to look at the interviewer, esp during conversation. Erase words like um, yeah and like from your speech. State your answers with confidence and in general, give off a confident vibe.
They will probably ask why you want to go, so be prepared to answer this.