Our second day at the 72nd ALA Girls Nation was spent accommodating the weather while keeping our spirits high. Speaking of spirit, we separated into our
parties and focused on developing our platforms for the upcoming convention. We
had the privilege to hear the words of two amazing women who helped change our
nation and the lives of the people who serve it. First we heard from Karen
Grimord, the founder and president of the Landstuhl Hospital Care Project. As
she told her heart-wrenching story of her service to the wounded members of our
military, her dedication and devotion to the betterment of our soldier’s recovery
moved us to tears and deepened our gratitude towards civilian support of
military service. Following Grimord’s emotional speech, Denise Rohan, the
illustrious first female national commander of The American Legion, addressed
our Senate. She graced our delegates with empowering words to encourage civic
engagement and profound patriotism.
After we
heard from the speakers, we sharpened our parliamentary procedure skills while
developing a diligent ear for listening to our fellow senators during our first
official senate session. In a matter of three hours, 100 young women – representing
all 50 states – tackled one resolution and four Senate bills on current topics.
Reflecting
on our third day, we could not ask for a brighter or more competent group of
young women to spend the remainder of this week with and make everlasting
memories.
Sincerely,
Madi Rice,
DE
Imani Smith,
KY
