During the week, we had the opportunity to take a class. I did not get my first choice of class, Public Speaking, and ended up in a much better class, Women in Government. I am glad that I ended taking this class, because I got to meet some of the greatest ladies that help run this great Commonwealth.
On the first day, I got there early, and got a front row seat. I was excited. The first person to speak to us was Kate Hanley, Secretary of the Commonwealth. Throughout her "lecture" she gave many statistics. The numbers that she gave compel me even more to one day run for public office. The United States ranks 71st in the amount of women that hold public office. Two percent of the US Congress is women, there are 17 in the Senate and 72 in the House. In the state of Virginia, there are 8 in the State Senate and 16 in the House of Delegates. The greatest quote that I got out of the whole "lecture" was "Every father's daughter can be President." She also told us that in politics, men and women have different rules. Surprisingly, there was a lot of discussion about clothes. There were three points that were made that we should know. If a female politician reads, understands, and explains numbers, it could translate into votes. Just because you're a women, you can't make it everything about "women's issues", education, health care, etc. Also that when it comes to campaigning you have to be able to prove that you can do it on your own.
The second person that talked to us on the first day was Claire Gastanaga. The overarching theme of her "lecture" was, "Do you have a prefect enough life to run for public office?" Which is something that I think about everyday. As I'm making decisions, the question in the back of my head is, "I could be running for public office one day, would this harm me in the future?"
The last speaker of the day, was probably one of my favorite speakers of the entire class, Nancy Rodrigues, Secretary of the State Board of Elections. She has the job of making sure that every vote is counted, which has to be a very big burden. The one thing that stands out the most, is that afterwards we were talking, and she told me a story about Congressman Perriello.
The second and third day of my Women in Government class don't have very detailed notes, partly because I was nervous about giving my speech, and partly because a lot of the same things were said over and over again.
A few key quotes from day 2 are: "Women come to government not with a personal agenda, but to help others." I would hope that this wasn't only true about women, but men also. For some reason, I didn't write who said it, but I did for the other one. Jane Woods came and spoke to us for a little while, and a key quote from her was, "There isn't one yellow brick road." I believe that this is true for all walks of life, not just politics. The last quote that made me think a lot is something that I believe also pertains to every walk of life. It's about fighting for ideas, not about fighting other people.
Unfortunately, I did not have to opportunity to go to my class on the last two days, I had a cabinet meeting and then inauguration practice.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Virginia Girls State, part 2.
Throughout the week we had many speakers come and talk to on different topics. Most of our speakers held public office, others just had an amazing life story.
The first speaker was a man by the name of Toney Lineberry. When Lineberry was in highschool, he was in a car accident that left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair. His story truly makes me understand the importance of wearing a seatbelt. It also made me realize the importance of thinking about every decision I make, because in a split second, my whole life could change right in front of me.
The Second speaker was Attorney General Bill Mims. AG Mims was a very good speaker. One of my favorite of the week. He said something that has been sticking out in my head, "We [the delegates at Girls State] are often called the best and the brightest, but we shouldn't focus on being the best and the brightest. We should be focusing on our promise and potential." He talked about the Prinicple of Emapthy, and that we need to understand others feelings if we are going to be successful in public service. Another quote by him that has been making me think a lot is "If life is about something outside of yourself, you will be satisfied."
The third speaker was Lt. Governor Bill Bolling. When it comes to how Bill Bolling got his start in politics, I feel like we are very similar. His first political experiences were when he was 15, he did campaign work. This led to him want to be a Political Science major. I did my first campaign work when I was 16, and this had led me to want to major in Political Science when I go to college. He told us that we were the exception to the rule, because we already viewed politics and government as an important part of life. He advised us to keep the passion alive. There are two quotes that I believe are really relevant to me as I look not only at politics, but my life as a whole. The first is, "You are only limited by the limitations you set for yourself." The second is "Our diversity is our greatest strength and weakness."
The fourth speaker was Republican Gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell. Since it was my first time hearing McDonnell speak, I spent more time listening to hime, than I did taking notes. The one thing that I did take down is advice that I think every American needs to hear, "Government is not a spectator sport."
The fifth speaker was one of my favorite, Governor Tim Kaine. This was also another person that I had not heard speak before, so my notes are limited. I can remember my friends laughing at me because I was so excited that I was going to get to hear Governor Kaine. I had one goal, and it was to get a handshake. I forced my friends to let my have an aisle seat when ever anyone was speaking, but most importantly I had to have it when Governor Kaine was speaking. Governor Kaine said gave a quote by Henry David Thoreau to describe his term as governor, "I love my fate to the very core and rind." At the end of his speech, I got my handshake. This picture is a blurry snapshot of just before the great handshake took place.
The sixth speaker we had was a women by the name of Nancy Redd, a Martinsville native, that wrote a book entitled "Body Drama." I can't find my notes on what she talked about, but from what I can remember at the moment, it was a lot about being true to yourself.
Our last speaker was someone that I had been waiting to hear all week, Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds. This time, I had a specific goal. I wanted to meet Creigh Deeds. Deeds was the only speaker that arrived at Jarman Auditorium early. As I walked in, I flashed him a big smile. My friends all tried to get me to just get up and walk on out and go and talk to him, I wasn't going to risk getting in trouble. When one of my counselors walked in, my friends told her I had a question, and her reply was, "Is it for me, or Creigh?" She let me go out and talk to him, and I even got a picture.
The best qoute that I got from Deeds isn't relevant to my life at all, I just found it funny. He said,"I'm running for Governor, I'm not running for dictator."
The first speaker was a man by the name of Toney Lineberry. When Lineberry was in highschool, he was in a car accident that left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair. His story truly makes me understand the importance of wearing a seatbelt. It also made me realize the importance of thinking about every decision I make, because in a split second, my whole life could change right in front of me.
The Second speaker was Attorney General Bill Mims. AG Mims was a very good speaker. One of my favorite of the week. He said something that has been sticking out in my head, "We [the delegates at Girls State] are often called the best and the brightest, but we shouldn't focus on being the best and the brightest. We should be focusing on our promise and potential." He talked about the Prinicple of Emapthy, and that we need to understand others feelings if we are going to be successful in public service. Another quote by him that has been making me think a lot is "If life is about something outside of yourself, you will be satisfied."
The third speaker was Lt. Governor Bill Bolling. When it comes to how Bill Bolling got his start in politics, I feel like we are very similar. His first political experiences were when he was 15, he did campaign work. This led to him want to be a Political Science major. I did my first campaign work when I was 16, and this had led me to want to major in Political Science when I go to college. He told us that we were the exception to the rule, because we already viewed politics and government as an important part of life. He advised us to keep the passion alive. There are two quotes that I believe are really relevant to me as I look not only at politics, but my life as a whole. The first is, "You are only limited by the limitations you set for yourself." The second is "Our diversity is our greatest strength and weakness."The fourth speaker was Republican Gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell. Since it was my first time hearing McDonnell speak, I spent more time listening to hime, than I did taking notes. The one thing that I did take down is advice that I think every American needs to hear, "Government is not a spectator sport."
The fifth speaker was one of my favorite, Governor Tim Kaine. This was also another person that I had not heard speak before, so my notes are limited. I can remember my friends laughing at me because I was so excited that I was going to get to hear Governor Kaine. I had one goal, and it was to get a handshake. I forced my friends to let my have an aisle seat when ever anyone was speaking, but most importantly I had to have it when Governor Kaine was speaking. Governor Kaine said gave a quote by Henry David Thoreau to describe his term as governor, "I love my fate to the very core and rind." At the end of his speech, I got my handshake. This picture is a blurry snapshot of just before the great handshake took place.
The sixth speaker we had was a women by the name of Nancy Redd, a Martinsville native, that wrote a book entitled "Body Drama." I can't find my notes on what she talked about, but from what I can remember at the moment, it was a lot about being true to yourself.
Our last speaker was someone that I had been waiting to hear all week, Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds. This time, I had a specific goal. I wanted to meet Creigh Deeds. Deeds was the only speaker that arrived at Jarman Auditorium early. As I walked in, I flashed him a big smile. My friends all tried to get me to just get up and walk on out and go and talk to him, I wasn't going to risk getting in trouble. When one of my counselors walked in, my friends told her I had a question, and her reply was, "Is it for me, or Creigh?" She let me go out and talk to him, and I even got a picture.
The best qoute that I got from Deeds isn't relevant to my life at all, I just found it funny. He said,"I'm running for Governor, I'm not running for dictator."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Virginia Girls State, part 1.
This will be a part series, just because I have notes scattered about from the different speakers, and they are not on hand right now.
Last Sunday, I embarked on what would become an amazing week of sleep deprivation, learning, and most of all, relationship building. About 2 to 3 months ago, I was selected to attend Virginia Girls State. As I anxiously walked into my dorm at Longwood University, I was filled with a strange emotion that I am still yet to label. I got off the elevator on the fourth floor to see my two smiling counselors sitting there, waiting to greet us. I quickly settled into my room, said goodbye to my mom, and walked back up the four flights of stairs wondering what I had just gotten myself into. I soon migrated from inside my room to the hallway, in which I saw smiling girls staring at a map of Virginia. We began circling where we were from, and I was the furthest south. A smiling face piped up, “Who’s from Danville? That’s where I’m from.” A friendship soon began, and in less than 30 minutes we were in the hallway, playing name games and talking like we had been friends for years.
On June 21st, I stumbled into a new city, Pocahontas. By June 27th, I know have a new home town; the amazing city of Pocahontas, the city of dream catchers. After a long Sunday night, I was still unsure of what I wanted to run for. For those of you that do not know, Girls State is a week long study of state government. From local,
to party, to state politics. By Monday morning I had made the decision to run for governor. Although it was an unsuccessful run, at my party convention I placed 3 out of 9 girls running. Most importantly, I gave a speech to 350 plus girls! After the elections were said and done, I was appointed to the Governor's Cabinet. My city supported me all the way and I was appointed the Secretary of Finance.
Through out the week I heard some amazing speakers, and I'll have notes on what each of them said. I also had the priviledge of taking a Women in Government class, in which I met some amazing ladies that help run this state.
This has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life, and I'm missing all my Pocahontas ladies.
There will be more later, I'm in the process of piecing together all that happened this week. There is one overarching theme though, as much as I learned about VA state government, I learned at least twice as more about myself.
Last Sunday, I embarked on what would become an amazing week of sleep deprivation, learning, and most of all, relationship building. About 2 to 3 months ago, I was selected to attend Virginia Girls State. As I anxiously walked into my dorm at Longwood University, I was filled with a strange emotion that I am still yet to label. I got off the elevator on the fourth floor to see my two smiling counselors sitting there, waiting to greet us. I quickly settled into my room, said goodbye to my mom, and walked back up the four flights of stairs wondering what I had just gotten myself into. I soon migrated from inside my room to the hallway, in which I saw smiling girls staring at a map of Virginia. We began circling where we were from, and I was the furthest south. A smiling face piped up, “Who’s from Danville? That’s where I’m from.” A friendship soon began, and in less than 30 minutes we were in the hallway, playing name games and talking like we had been friends for years.
On June 21st, I stumbled into a new city, Pocahontas. By June 27th, I know have a new home town; the amazing city of Pocahontas, the city of dream catchers. After a long Sunday night, I was still unsure of what I wanted to run for. For those of you that do not know, Girls State is a week long study of state government. From local,
to party, to state politics. By Monday morning I had made the decision to run for governor. Although it was an unsuccessful run, at my party convention I placed 3 out of 9 girls running. Most importantly, I gave a speech to 350 plus girls! After the elections were said and done, I was appointed to the Governor's Cabinet. My city supported me all the way and I was appointed the Secretary of Finance.
Through out the week I heard some amazing speakers, and I'll have notes on what each of them said. I also had the priviledge of taking a Women in Government class, in which I met some amazing ladies that help run this state.
This has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life, and I'm missing all my Pocahontas ladies.
There will be more later, I'm in the process of piecing together all that happened this week. There is one overarching theme though, as much as I learned about VA state government, I learned at least twice as more about myself.
Funny The Way It Is
The name of the blog comes from my favorite song from Dave Matthews Band new album Big Whiskey and The GrooGrux King. The song, "Funny The Way It Is," speaks about the irony that surronds us in the world we live in.
Here's the video:
Here's the video:
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