Eleven Delegates Chosen to Attend Girls State in Vermillion
April 5, 2018
Each year the Bridgewater-Emery School is contacted to aid the Smith-Jarding American Legion Auxiliary Unit 166 to obtain applications for Girls State from students in the junior class at the Bridgewater-Emery School. Normally there are only a few applicants that apply and one or two girls are chosen as delegates, and maybe an alternate or two, but this year was a historical year as there were eleven outstanding applicants. These eleven girls all were very deserving of attending Girls State based on their academic achievements as well as their school and community involvement. In the past Auxiliary Units were held to a certain quota meaning that each Unit was allowed a certain number of delegates from each school; however, this year the South Dakota American Legion Auxiliary Department Headquarters did away with that quota system and allowed Units to choose as many delegates as they could obtain sponsorship for. The cost associated to send each girl to Girls State is $110.00. The Smith-Jarding Unit 166 only had enough funds available to send one girl. The Bridgewater Legion Post, Morrison-Weber-Solem Post III, also sponsors one girl each year since Bridgewater does not have an active Auxiliary Unit. This year since there were no Boys State applicants from the Bridgewater-Emery School so the Bridgewater Legion Post was willing to sponsor two girls. That left eight deserving applicants to find sponsorships for. Michele Schulte, president of Smith-Jarding Unit 166 , sent an email request to numerous Auxiliary Units, Legion Posts, and individuals associated with the American Legion Auxiliary asking for help to see if she could obtain sponsorship for a few more girls. Within 48 hours of the request, Michele had an overwhelming response and located sponsors for the eight remaining girls. The following junior class students will be attending Girls State in May, 2018 at the USD Campus in Vermillion, South Dakota thanks to their individual sponsors listed below:
Abigail Arend – Susie Clyde, Hot Springs, SD - Past Department President 2004- 2005
Tessa Burnham – Smith-Jarding Unit 166, Emery, SD
Vanessa Hofer – Dell Rapids Unit 65
Sydney Hoffman – Morrison-Weber-Solem Post III, Bridgewater, SD
Ashley Horvath – Dell Rapids Unit 65
Darby Hurd – Kris Sachara (District 1) president and Melanie Martens, Junior Past
President, Piedmont, SD
Katelyn Kotas – Unit 71, Hot Springs, SD
Kristin Kotas – Unit 71, Hot Springs, SD
Joslyn Schrank – Dell Rapids Unit 65
Jada Wethor - Hugh Holmes, State Commander South Dakota American Legion, Mitchell, SD
Sierra Wollman – Morrison-Weber-Solem Post III – Bridgewater, SD
The Smith-Jarding Unit 166 wants to thank Christina Schultz for getting the word out to the Bridgewater-Emery junior class and for all eleven applicants for their interest in the Girls State program. This is such a wonderful opportunity for these girls and I cannot say thank you enough for the individuals, Auxiliary Units, and Legion Posts that graciously sponsored all these girls. Your thoughtfulness and generosity is very much appreciated by all the Girls State delegates, their parents, and Smith-Jarding Unit 166.
Michele Schulte, American Legion Auxiliary Post 166 President.
Abigail Arend – Susie Clyde, Hot Springs, SD - Past Department President 2004- 2005
Tessa Burnham – Smith-Jarding Unit 166, Emery, SD
Vanessa Hofer – Dell Rapids Unit 65
Sydney Hoffman – Morrison-Weber-Solem Post III, Bridgewater, SD
Ashley Horvath – Dell Rapids Unit 65
Darby Hurd – Kris Sachara (District 1) president and Melanie Martens, Junior Past
President, Piedmont, SD
Katelyn Kotas – Unit 71, Hot Springs, SD
Kristin Kotas – Unit 71, Hot Springs, SD
Joslyn Schrank – Dell Rapids Unit 65
Jada Wethor - Hugh Holmes, State Commander South Dakota American Legion, Mitchell, SD
Sierra Wollman – Morrison-Weber-Solem Post III – Bridgewater, SD
The Smith-Jarding Unit 166 wants to thank Christina Schultz for getting the word out to the Bridgewater-Emery junior class and for all eleven applicants for their interest in the Girls State program. This is such a wonderful opportunity for these girls and I cannot say thank you enough for the individuals, Auxiliary Units, and Legion Posts that graciously sponsored all these girls. Your thoughtfulness and generosity is very much appreciated by all the Girls State delegates, their parents, and Smith-Jarding Unit 166.
Michele Schulte, American Legion Auxiliary Post 166 President.
