Tuesday, May 27th 2014

 

Day 3 of the 72nd session of Oklahoma Girls State started bright and early! We first welcomed Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan, who discussed with the delegates exactly what he does as County Commissioner. It is common for the general public to relate his title solely to the roadway system, but he explained how his job encompasses many more duties. He deals greatly with the Oklahoma county jail as well as the welfare of the poor and needy in his district, as he is entitled to by the constitution. One of Maughan's most celebrated accomplishments as County Commissioner is Oklahoma's SHINE (Start Helping Impacted Neighborhoods Everywhere) and SHINE Student programs. This is an initiative  to get nonviolent criminals out of the county jail and into the community to rebuild and repair. SHINE Student came shortly after as young leaders across the state, much like the ladies here at Girls State, decided to join the efforts of beautifying the areas around them.

After the delegates heard from Maughan, they headed to their county conventions. Here they elected several ladies to various positions including: Associate District Judge, Court Clerk, County Clerk, County Sheriff,  County Treasurer, County Assessor, Commissioner No. 1, Commissioner No. 2, Commissioner No.3, State Representatives, and State Senators. Results for these elections will be published later this week in The Girls Stater. Congrats to all the ladies who got elected!


Next we welcomed Lt Governor Todd Lamb and his daughter, Lauren Lamb, to Girls State with a big OOOOOOOOklahoma! Lamb elaborated on the uniqueness of our great state and exactly why we are so fortunate to be residents of the best state in the entire world. We discussed the various ways in which our state was inhabited: by the Indigenous Plains Indians, through The Trail of Tears, and seven land runs that brought all types of people with different backgrounds from around the world. Lamb boasted with pride as he talked about Oklahoma. The way he described his love for the state was contagious. He pleaded with the young ladies to stay, they are the best and brightest, after all. Stay in Oklahoma. Go to school here, but if you leave to go to college out of state, hurry back! Oklahoma needs YOU!

After lunch the ladies headed to their district conventions where candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Corporation Commission 1, Corporation Commissioner 2, Corporation Commissioner 3, State Treasurer, Auditor and Inspector, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Insurance Commissioner, Commissioner of  Labor, Court of Appeals 1, Court of Appeals 2, Court of Appeals 3, Court of Appeals 4, Courts of Appeals 5, Court of Appeals 6, District Attorney, District Judge, and Member of Judicial Nominating Commission were elected.


This evening we had the honor of hearing from former Girls State Delegate, Girls Nation Senator, and Attorney, Sarah Hummel. Ms. Hummel taught a class on etiquette. She offered practical tips and helpful hints on ways to blow interviewers out of the water. The ladies asked many questions and gained a great amount of knowledge.

Finally we ended the night with a Girls Nation report from the 2013 Senators, Adiba Khan and Blair Kloeppel. They explained in detail exactly what Girls Nation is and all of the exciting activities the Senators get to take part in. Nominees for the 2014 session of Girls Nation will be announced and interviewed on Thursday. Good luck to the ladies who will be chosen. We are all anxious to see who will be representing us this year!