STATESBORO — Alicia Jordyn Williams attended the 2019 session of Department of Georgia’s Girls State program at Georgia Southern University.

Williams was selected and sponsored by the James Hicks American Legion Auxiliary Unit 519. The Georgia Girls State Program is a part of the Department of Georgia’s American Legion Auxiliary’s Americanism curriculum.

For a week, the Girls State citizens are given training in the practical processes of good citizenship. The participants are divided into two political parties to gain knowledge about the operation of a two-party system. The Girls State citizens participate in instructional political parties, they debate, run for various offices, and elections are held to fill mock city and state positions. Activities include legislative sessions, campaigning, party rallies and voting. There citizens also were given special instruction in parliamentary procedures.

Georgia Girls State gives participants the experience of living together as self-governing citizens with the privileges, rights and responsibility of American citizenship. This learning experience helps to educate young women about their duties as United States citizens and encourages their participation in the Democratic process.

The American Legion Auxiliary’s Girls State program was started originally in the late 1930s as a two-day session in Washington, D.C., and Delaware. In 1939, it grew into a week-long government education program. Since 1948, it has been a regular part of the American Legion Auxiliary’s Americanism curriculum.

Founded in 1919, the American Legion Auxiliary’s mission is to serve veterans, their families and the community. The James Hicks American Legion Post 519 commander is James King.