“The Bluebonnet” - The Official Journal of Texas Bluebonnet Girls State - Volume 15 - Saturday, June 18, 2011

Over 485 Take Part in 67th Session By plane, bus, and automobile, 485 young

women from all over Texas traveled to

Texas Lutheran University campus in Se-

guin to take part in the 67th session of

Bluebonnet Girls State. Participants were

organized into twelve “cities” with between

30 and 50 “citizens” each. They met their

roommates and neighbors and were wel-

comed by their counselors. Less than 48

hours after arrival, each new community

had written their own charter and elected

city officials.

City A Astronauts Mayor: Megan Mod-

ersitki, Council Place 1: Lucy Millsap, Coun-

cil Place 2: Denise Barrera, Council Place

3: Allyson Rice, Council Place 4: Reagan

Rexford, Council Place 5: Amanda Warwick,

Council Place 6: Ellie Friederich, Treasurer:

Jessaca Rougon, Attorney: Casey Evans,

Tax Assessor/Collector: Natilisa Rodriguez,

Police Chief: Brittany Norris, Health Officer:

Megan Abbott, Fire Chief: Shannon Barry,

Municipal Judge: Sarah Vollman. (Senior

Counselor: Laurel Fiske; Junior Counselors:

Keely Mosher, Amanda Cotten and Kate

Freeman)

City B Beach Babes Mayor: Adelaide

Dollinger, Council Place 1: Adair White,

Council Place 2: Sarah Littlejohn, Council

Place 3: Megan Wisnoski, Council Place 4:

Whitney Thomas, Council Place 5: Kelsey

Lancon, Council Place 6: Kirstin Sylvester,

Treasurer: Lisa Ramon, Attorney: Alyssa

Coy, Tax Assessor/Collector: Vanessa Val-

dez, Police Chief: Emma Sparkman, Health

Officer: Haley Rivera, Fire Chief: Becca

Bailey, Municipal Judge: Mary Beale.

(Senior Counselor: Emily Saultz; Junior

Counselors: Grace Baen, Shannon Reinert

and Kate Aten)

City C Clownfish Mayor: Chandler

Sant, Council Place 1: Ashley Muñoz, Coun-

cil Place 2: Drake Tobola, Council Place 3:

Newly arrived Girls State citizens from the Rio Grande Valley.

Kaylie Wilson, Council Place 4: Jordan Cac-

caro, Council Place 5: Amina Karedia,

Council Place 6: Kristen Olson, Attorney:

Evelena McCutcheon, Tax Assessor/

Collector: Anahy Castro, Police Chief: Akiko

Scott, Health Officer: Kristen Beck, Fire

Chief: Michelle Hochstein, Municipal Judge:

Allison Koehn. (Senior Counselor: Morgan

Germany; Junior Counselors: Katie

McFarland and Sarah Scalia)

City D Dolphins Mayor: Zoë Olavarri,

Council Place 1: Marissa Garcia, Council

Place 2: Sage Kinsey, Council Place 3:

Samantha Tschoepe, Council Place 4: Ash-

ley Hagelgans, Attorney: Taylor Rowe, Tax

Assessor/Collector: Serena Reese, Police

Chief: Rosa Valdovinos, Health Officer:

Amber Hubbard, Fire Chief: McKenzie Leg-

get, Municipal Judge: Miki Evans. (Senior

Counselor: Audrey Huffman; Junior Coun-

selors: Hillary Everts and Hannah Watt)

City E Energizers Mayor: Stephanie

Parns, Council Place 1: Erin Daughtery,

Council Place 2: Jenna Harrison, Council

Place 3: Chelsea Hall, Council Place 4:

Lindsay Belus, Council Place 5: Maegan

Ware, Council Place 6: Valerie Briell, Treas-

urer: Katie Ferrick, Tax Assessor/Collector:

Becca Hawkenson, Attorney: Kasey Ann

Herrera, Police Chief: Shelby Shepard,

Health Officer: Kathleen Jones, Fire Chief:

Emily Gayle Lewis, Municipal Judge: Karlie

Wilbern. (Senior Counselor: Allie Benson;

Junior Counselors: Hillary Plocheck,

Cassidy Hurwitz and Kylie Kelder)

City F Fireworks Mayor: Talon Romick,

Council Place 1: Catherine Ken, Council

Place 2: Alex Hall, Council Place 3: Cath-

erine Bennett, Council Place 4: Katie

Donaldson, City Treasurer: Mira Patel, At-

torney: Emily Davidson, Tax Assessor/

Collector: Allyson Gross, Police Chief: Tessa

Russell, Health Officer: Betsy Quevedo, Fire

Chief: Amanda Chapa, Municipal Judge:

Stacy Sullivan. (Senior Counselor: Lauren

(continued on page 2)

Nats, Feds Pick Leaders: Party Convention Results

Because the Girls State program is entirely

non-partisan, citizens operate with mock po-

litical parties. They elect precinct, county and

state party officials, and write their own party

platforms. The program was led by Party Co-

ordinator Emalee Harmon and Fed Party

Sponsors Pollyana Halling and Ellen Addison

and Nat Party Sponsors Elizabeth Sutherland

and Ashley Poston.

National Party State Chair: Kallie Fuchs,

Vice-Chair: Jenna Dunn, House Whip: Vinam-

rata Singel, Senate Whip: Sarah Gates Friend-

ship County Chair: Korey Lane, Pct. 1: JR Holt,

Pct. 2: Hailey Knab, Pct.3: Katherine Faulk

Chili County Chair: Megan Neuhoff, Pct. 1:

Courtney Ledger, Pct. 2: Abby Sisk, Pct. 3:

Akiko Scott Goff County Chair: Young-Jee

Jung, Pct. 1: Tiara Hansen, Pct. 2: Tia Watson,

Pct. 3: Casey Jo Knapp Giant County Chair:

Annie Kresek, Pct. 1: Breanna Lind, Pct. 2:

Keni Sabath, Pct. 3: Kimberly Krumm Pecan

County Chair: Tori Clement, Pct. 1: Jaquala

Couch, Pct. 2: Sarah Gates, Pct. 3: Stephanie

Wythe Tejas County Chair: Annie Alexander,

Pct. 1: Miranda Garrott, Pct. 2: Emily Guthrie,

Pct. 3: Emma Watson

Federal Party State Chair: Miriam Felder,

Vice-Chair: Tara McCullough, House Whip:

Montana Blair, Senate Whip: Paloma Rivera

Friendship County Chair: Mayelisa Gasca,

Pct.1: Megan Modersitzki, Pct. 2: Sarah

Stiles, Pct. 3: Faith Castillo Chili County Chair:

Catherine Anne Prideaux, Pct. 1: Stephanie

Bossert, Pct. 2: Aditi Singh, Pct. 3: Pronoma

Debnath Goff County Chair: Victoria Volker,

Pct. 1: Laura Lynn Grander, Pct. 2: Shauna

Kim, Pct. 3: Bre’ana Stafford Giant County

Chair: Katlyn Delp, Pct. 1: Kristyn Miller, Pct.

2: Aanchal Saraf, Pct. 3: Medley Hinman Pe-

can County Chair: Jill Moss, Pct. 1: Tamia

Brice, Pct. 2: Hailey Stevenson, Pct. 3: Naomi

Varnis Tejas County Chair: Sierra Vernon, Pct.

1: Lisa Hsiao, Pct. 2: Ellen Hense, Pct. 3:

Mandi Minzenmeyer

(continued from page 1)

Perryman; Junior Counselors: Amie Magallon

and Kailey Peck)

City G Guppies Mayor: Jennifer Gutierrez,

Council Place 1: Kaitlin Wetz, Council Place 2:

Jennifer Timmermann, Council Place 3: Ma-

rikit Tomlinson, Council Place 4: Erin Watson,

Council Place 5: Sinthuja Devarajan, Council

Place 6: Kacy Little, Treasurer: Maggie Smith,

Attorney: Breanna Lind, Tax Assessor/

Collector: Kirsten Schroeden; Police Chief:

Emily Grobe, Health Officer: Abby Smalligan,

Fire Chief: Clarissa Ramirez, Municipal Judge:

Ashley Swenson (Senior Counselor: Kate Eh-

mke; Junior Counselors: Brittany Buffum and

Monica Zuniga)

City H Honeybees Mayor: Kaitlin Noser,

Council Place 1: Kimberly Krumm, Council

Place 2: Tayler Chambless, Council Place 3:

Murphy Vandermotter, Council Place 4: Alex

Pottorff, Treasurer: Jenna Gonzalez, Attorney:

Jazmin Crookes, Tax Assessor/Collector:

Anna Walker, Police Chief: Hallie Taylor,

Health Officer: Tina Pham, Fire Chief: Chaz-

min Peterson-Calip, Municipal Judge: Bethany

Roubion. (Senior Counselor: Renda Barr; Jun-

ior Counselors: Jeyde Kelly and Katie Stewart)

City I Islanders Mayor: Tamia Brice,

Council Place 1: Ivonne Corona, Council Place

2: Mariah Cruz, Council Place 3: Heather Cox,

Council Place 4: Payten Spielberger, Treas-

urer: Phuong Huynh, Attorney: Stephanie

Whisenant, Tax Assessor/Collector: Elizabeth

Spence, Police Chief: Stacy Rendon, Health

Officer: Danielle Perales, Fire Chief: Domi-

nique Robertson, Municipal Judge: Jenny

Garms. (Senior Counselor: Jenna White; Jun-

ior Counselors: Jessica Evey and Anabeth

Fuller)

City J Javas Mayor: Caroline Nelson,

Council Place 1: IZ Odgers, Council Place 2:

Remington Couts, Council Place 3: Maddy

Marrs, Council Place 4: Denise Chavez, Coun-

cil Place 5: Cristina Kilmain, Council Place 6:

Natalie Olivares, Treasurer: Angelynn May,

Attorney: Sid Mitchell, Tax Assessor/Collector:

Claire Culver, Health Officer: Rachel Cantu,

Fire Chief: Carlynn Hill, Municipal Judge:

Georgeanne Palmer. (Senior Counselor:

Mauri King; Junior Counselors: Rebecca Rob-

bins and Melinda Zanner)

City K Kaleidoscopes Mayor: Danielle

Garcia, Council Place 1: Lara Samarneh,

Council Place 2: Megan Askew, Council Place

3: Caprice Erickson, Council Place 4: Savan-

nah Wessies, Treasurer: Emily Parker, Attor-

ney: Perri Hockema, Tax Assessor/Collector:

Emily Barton, Police Chief: Nikki Sorenson,

Fire Chief: Lexi Edwards, Municipal Judge:

Stephanie Tsai. (Senior Counselor: Lilliebeth

Halling; Junior Counselors: Shelby Langford

and Anna Van Buskirk)

City L Leprechauns Mayor: Lillian Miess,

Council Place 1: Margaret Hill, Council Place

2: Jordan Speir, Council Place 3: Rebecca

Reyes, Council Place 4: Sara Linsley, Council

Place 5: Megan Klein, Council Place 6: Ashley

Manchee, Treasurer: Kim Tran, Attorney: An-

gelica Fitzgerald, Tax Assessor/Collector:

Mandi Minzenmeyer, Police Chief: Shelby

McCutcheon, Health Officer: Miranda Garrott,

Fire Chief: Jenna Davis, Municipal Judge:

Andrea Halloran. (Senior Counselor: Jenny

Denny; Junior Counselors: Rachel Herrod,

Taylor Cavazos and Alli Williams)

“The Bluebonnet” Page 2

Speaker, Presi-

dent Pick Floor

Leaders

Floor Leaders are distinguished posi-

tions in the legislature at Girls State.

They are chosen by their respective

presiding officers to serve as mentors

for their fellow legislators. In the real

world they are also spokespersons for

their party and organize party strategy.

The Senate Floor Leaders are

Emily Guthrie (National Party) and

Haley Czarnek (Federal Party).

House Floor Leaders are Nicole

Moody (National Party) and Christina

Faseler (Federal Party).

This yearʼs legislative staff mem-

bers are Speaker of the House Anna

Beth White and President of the Sen-

ate Kate Hartfield. Jackie Cheng,

Emilee Larkin and Priyanka Patel are

the Legislative Assistants for the

House. Gable Brady, Annabelle Hut-

chinson and Lainey Murdock are the

Legislative Assistants in the Senate.

State Elections: Nats’ Sabath, Watson Take Top Spots

On Thursday, June 16th, National Party can-

didate Keni Sabath was elected 2011 Blue-

bonnet Girls State Governor. Tia Watson was

elected Lieutenant Governor. Other winners

were Irene Cofie, Attorney General; Stepha-

nie Bossert, Comptroller of Public Accounts;

Hailey Stevenson, Commissioner of General

Land; Fallon Boenig, Agricultural Commis-

sioner; Aanchal Saraf, Railroad Commis-

sioner; Anna Rigby, Presiding Judge of Court

of Criminal Appeals; Casey Jo Knapp, Chief

Justice of Supreme Court. Citizens also ap-

proved a constitutional amendment that

establishes annual sessions of the Texas

Legislature.

On Friday, June 17th, citizens traveled

to Austin where Girls State senators and

their representatives convened their annual

mock legislature in the State Capitol. Later, a

joint session gathered in the Texas House

chambers to inaugurate newly elected state

officials. The Honorable Michael Keasler

addressed the citizens and administered the

oath of office. State officials were escorted by

their real life counterparts: Linda Smith, Ex-

ecutive Assistant to Chief Justice Wallace Jef-

ferson, Supreme Court of Texas; Honorable

Michael Keasler; Andrew Kiefer, Chief of Staff

to Elizabeth Ames Jones, Railroad Commis-

sioner; Shannon Rusing, Chief of Staff to Todd

Staples, Agriculture Commissioner; Larry

Laine, Chief Deputy, representing Jerry Patter-

son, Commissioner of General Land Office;

Raette Hearn, Dir. of Agency Administration,

representing Comptroller Susan Combs; Sta-

cey Napier, Senior Counsel, representing At-

torney General Greg Abbott; Don Green, Sen-

ior Advisor, representing Lt. Governor David

Dewhurst; and Diana King, President, ALA

Department of Texas.

After a picnic lunch on the Capitol

grounds, citizens returned to Seguin. The eve-

ning concluded with a talent show and cele-

brations in each of the cities.

Citizens who performed throughout the session include: Chandler Sant, Caroline Nelson,

Heather Cox, Lillian Miess, Emily Gayle Lewis, Eliza Odgers, Jenna Dunn, Haley Riveria, Megan

Abbott, Stacy Rendon, Alyssa Clift, Priya Patel, Sarah Qin, Krystal Kurtz, Sarah Gates, Lynda

Brundin, Emma Watson, Nahime Aguirre, Shannon Ryan, Stephanie Wythe, Kristen Olsen,

Natalie Olivares, Shannon Zhou, Megan Davis, Kodee Jones, Anna Rigby, Aanchal Saraf and

Irene Colie. Gina Zavorka played horn at flag lowering.

“The Bluebonnet” Page 3

Girls Nation delegates, Outstanding Citizens picked

County Election Results: Nats Best Feds 26 to 22

Friendship Commissioners Place 1: Kel-

sey Orsak, Commissioners Place 2: Hannah

Heiser, County Judge: Kelsey Harkins, County

Attorney: Kate Woodrum, Tax Assessor/

Collector: Emily Zboril, County Clerk: Priscilla

Rios, Sheriff: Katherine Faulk, Justice of the

Peace: Krislyn Koehn

Chili Commissioners Place 1: Hannah

Chen, Commissioners Place 2: Tawni Myers,

County Judge: Hannah Trejo, County Attorney:

Erin Ramirez, Tax Assessor/Collector: Corinne

Martinez, County Clerk: Teegan Luckemeyer,

Sheriff: Hadley Brown, Justice of the Peace:

Alysia Lambros

Goff Commissioners Place 1: Summer

Lindler, Commissioners Place 2: Kelsey Dank-

lefs, County Judge: Jenna Cook, County Attor-

ney: Helen Ask, Tax Assessor/Collector: Katie

Shaw, County Clerk: Annaliese Virnau, Sheriff:

Robin Baker, Justice of the Peace: Kathryn

Carr

Giant Commissioners Place 1: Sarah

Butler, Commissioners Place 2: Lexi Rogers,

County Judge: Samantha Mohun, County At-

torney: Lindsey Anderson, Tax Assessor/

Collector: Brea McCrady, County Clerk: Mar-

tha Chumchal, Sheriff: Haley Williams, Justice

of the Peace: Alyssa Clift

Pecan Commissioners Place 1: Rachel

Williams, Commissioners Place 2: Bianca

Upshaw, County Judge: Madi Polston, County

Attorney: Logan Reed, Tax Assessor/Collector:

Emily Drastata, County Clerk: Naeemah Cato,

Sheriff: Megan Mason, Justice of the Peace:

Shannon Zhou

Tejas Commissioners Place 1: Katelyn

Mize, Commissioners Place 2: Lauren Parr,

County Judge: Marylynn Smitherman, County

Attorney: Emily Rybarski, Tax Assessor/

Collector: Yanita De Leon, County Clerk: Col-

leen McNeir, Sheriff: Lacee Kight, Justice of

the Peace: Erica Halpern

Two girls are selected from each Girls

State program across America to attend

Girls Nation, a national government training

program. Anna Rigby of League City (ALA

Unit 554) and Aanchal Saraf of The Wood-

lands (ALA Unit 305) will represent Texas at

Girls Nation in July. First alternate is Hailey

Knab of Pottsboro (ALA Unit 231) and sec-

ond alternate is Keni Sabath of Missouri City

(ALA Unit 77).

Girls Nation “senators” meet for a week

in Washington, D.C., where they run for of-

fice, enact legislation and meet with U.S.

Representatives and Senators. Capping off

the week is a meeting with the President of

the United States.

Twelve citizens were chosen

“Outstanding Citizens of 2011” by their peers

within each city. They are Kaitlin Phillips (City

A), Carson Alsop (City B), Pronoma Deb-

nath (City C), Stephanie Bossert (City

D), Christina Faseler (City E), Anna Rigby (City

F), Aanchal Saraf (City G), Tara McCul-

lough (City H), X (City I), Hailey Stevenson (City

J), Lexi Edwards (City K), and Irene Cofie (City

L).

During closing assembly, Director Connie

Bridges recognized the contributions of

Bluebonnet Girls Stateʼs over eighty staff

members. They are unpaid volunteers, ei-

ther former citizens or members of the

American Legion Auxiliary. Those not men-

tioned previously include: Associate Direc-

tors: Ann Doan, Karen Miller-Rodriguez, Lori

Swann; Education Coordinator: Melissa Bod-

die; Education Staff: Emma Fullerton,

Brooke Barnett, Jessica Scott; County Advi-

sors: Samantha Ansley, Jessa Barniol, Debra

Lin, Audrea Eichman, Katie Foehrkolb, Eliza-

beth Bledsoe; Talent Chair: Phyllis Janke;

Talent: Emily Toensing, Ali Almanza and

Megan Thibodeaux; Bank: Martha Collis,

Myra Hester, Barbara Kundert, Robbi Rup-

pert; Office: Stephanie McDonald, Charlotte

Toulouse, Pat Wanoreck; Nurses: Lynda

Redix, Carolyn Whitener; Gift Shop Manager:

Bridget Trawhon; Store: Virginia Donnelly,

Sarah Urbanosky, Dabney Hegan and Dixie

Jones; Transportation: Sharon Gavin; Media

Relations: Jessica Scott and Charlotte Tou-

louse.

For more information about the Texas Blue-

bonnet Girls State program, contact:

The American Legion Auxiliary

Department of Texas

P.O. Box 140407

Austin, TX 78714-0407

Phone: 512-476-7278 Fax: 512-482-8391

Email: alatexas@txlegion.org

“The Bluebonnet” Page 4

Girls Nation delegates: Aanchal Saraf (on left) and Anna Rigby (on right) with Connie Bridges