MINSTER — Three soon-to-be seniors from Minster High School will be among the nearly 900 girls participating in 74rd annual session of Buckeye Girls State at the University of Mount Union. The session begins Sunday, June 11, and concludes on Saturday, June 17.

It is a fast paced program of mock government at the state, county and city level. The main objective of the girls State program is to train young women, who have completed their junior year in high school, in the duties, rights and privileges of citizenship by providing the attendee the opportunity to actively participate in a democratic form of government.

Local delegates to Girls State are Grace Schmiesing, daughter of John and Jamie Schmiesing, Katelyn Eilerman, daughter of Jay and Jennifer Eilerman, and Kate Larger, daughter of Doug and Karla Larger. They are able to attend Buckeye Girls State through the generosity of various businesses in Minster.

Volunteering at Buckeye Girls State will be Minster American Legion Auxiliary members Deb Meyer and Diana Hausfeld as a county government advisers.

As the girls arrive at Girls State they are assigned to one of two political parties. The residence hall in which they live during the program is their designated county and the floor on which they live is their city. The students will file petitions for candidacy for a variety of offices from governor to city council and participate in the election process. After elections and inaugurations, they will put government in action.

Special guests during the week at Girls State include many elected state officials’ from the house and senate, governors staff, lawyers, magistrates, and members from the Alliance city council, to work hand in hand with Girls State elected officials.

Feel free to drop in any time to see mock government in action while Buckeye Girls State is in session.