Stroud to send four to 2023 girls State

The Stroud American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) will be sending, for the first time, four young women to Girls State this year. Our delegates are McKenna Hall, daughter of Larry and Lori Hall, Katy Pittman, daughter of Brianna Pittman, Kathryn Thornton, daughter of StevenThornton and Julie Lee,andHayleeDurrence, daughter of Charles and Jeanne Durance. Stroud’s ALA Coordinator Pam Hunt stated, “We were able to secure four slots and it is thrilling to have this many high school students interested. Stroud’s unit usually sends only two delegates. We would not financially be able to send this many without the help of our sponsors, BancFirst, First Bank and Trust Co., RCB Bank, Beta Sigma Phi, Macco and Town Talk, as well as the Auxiliary.”

The American Legion AuxiliaryOklahomaGirls State is a premier program for young ladies going into their senior year of high school across the state of Oklahoma. During the weeklong summer camp delegates create and operate city, county and state governments while developing leadership skills and an appreciation of their rights as a citizen.

ALA Oklahoma Girls State was first held in 1940 and has been conducted annually by the ALA except for two years during World War II and in 2020 when they were forced to cancel due to the COVID= 1 pandemic. ALA Oklahoma Girls State was the first in the nation to have its educational programaccredited. Since its inception more than 30,000 girls have received this valuable citizenship training in Oklahoma.

The 2023 session of ALA Oklahoma Girls State will take place at Oklahoma Christian University from May 28th to June 2nd, 2023.

Pictured at left are Diana Smalley Reed (ALA President) holding phone with picture of Delegate Katy Pittman, who was at Vo-Tech but attended through Face Time call, Delegate Haylee Durrence, Delegate Makenna Hall, Delegate Kathryn Thornton, and Pam Hunt ALA Girls State Coordinator.