BANGOR — High school juniors from all over Maine converged on Husson University on Sunday to learn how to run for office in the state of Maine and how local and state governments operate.
The 64th annual American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program began Sunday and runs through Friday.
The juniors are honorary citizens of the state of Dirigo during the five-day workshop, and will hold mock government sessions, become candidates and organize campaigns, write legislation and debate issues using parliamentary procedure to learn how to become effective community leaders.
To get the group of more than 230 or so girls rallied up for the coming week, keynote speaker U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, talked to them about service and integrity.
“The Girls State lessons of leadership, of standing tall for one’s beliefs while respecting the beliefs of others, and of working together for the common good have stood the test time,” her speech states. “The delegates of yesterday are the leaders of today. The delegates of today will be the leaders of tomorrow.”
In Collins’ speech she said that leadership is a paradox.
“It requires knowledge combined with a willingness to learn,” her speech states. “It requires convictions combined with respect for the convictions of others. It requires strength and flexibility, passion and calmness, taking responsibility and acknowledging the contributions of others.
“Tying all of this together is one powerful word: integrity,” according to Collins’ speech.
Sen. Margaret Chase Smith is a shining example of integrity, she said, adding that Smith “has been my role model, my inspiration.”
Collins touched upon several topics in her speech, including 9-11 and national security, and the “failed response to the oil spill today” in the Gulf of Mexico, saying part of integrity is accepting responsibility.
Collins also commended the girls for striving to become better citizens.
“Government needs bright, motivated women,” her speech states. “It needs women of integrity. Whether you go into government service, business, science, education or any other field, you are on the path to leadership.”
State Attorney General Janet Mills was scheduled to speak after Collins to discuss the process of naturalization and to swear the girls in as honorary citizens of the state of Dirigo.
Gov. John Baldacci will address the delegates Tuesday evening, which is when the girls will be actively campaigning and preparing for Wednesday primaries. The general election is Thursday morning, and the next Dirigo Girls State governor will be announced Friday.
The governor and governor-elect are invited to attend the Girls Nation in Washington, D.C., later this year. The governor for 2009 was Kate Weigel from Brewer High School, whose campaign slogan was “Weigels wobble but they don’t fall down.”