: Girls State governor proves self as leader

[Guest guest]

Girls State governor proves self as leader

www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080708/NEWS01/807080370/1006

of Brentwood ran for governor with a broad platform: improving

Tennessee's budget, education, health care, lottery scholarships/ higher

education, social networking, environmental issues, stem cell research,

state ethics and immigration.

It helped propel the 17-year-old Harpeth Hall student to victory at the

recent Tennessee Volunteer Girls State.

was elected to the position last month after making speeches and

participating in debates and question-and-answer sessions in front of the

550-plus students in attendance.

" We are so proud of and very appreciative of the experience Volunteer

Girls State offers, " said Marie Maxwell, dean of students at Harpeth Hall's

upper school. " She is exceptional in her awareness of the world around her,

her ability to see a need and address it, and she is a good delegator. "

Volunteer Girls State is a leadership and citizen-training program offered

by the American Legion Auxiliary to young women who are rising high school

seniors in Tennessee. The one-week program takes place each summer on the

campus of Middle Tennessee State University.

Harpeth Hall began participating five years ago.

At Girls State, was assigned to City, and the girls quickly

rallied around her, making posters and campaigning for her, said Joanne

Mamenta, director of communications at Harpeth Hall.

" Throughout the whole week I was lucky enough to be surrounded by the some

of the most outstanding girls in Tennessee, " said. " Immediately we

went from total strangers to sisters. "

As governor, is responsible for signing the bills passed by the Girls

State Senate and House, appointing her Cabinet and other officials, speaking

to the American Legion Auxiliary about her experiences at Girls State and,

finally, returning to the program in 2009.

The honor is one of many received this year.

She received the Prudential Spirit of Community Award, a nationwide program

that recognizes young people for their acts of volunteerism. Administrators

at her former school, Ensworth High, nominated her for the award last year.

transferred to Harpeth Hall at the beginning of her junior year.

" She has been very active in community service, receiving national

recognition from the Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation, and will

serve as vice president of our Spirit of Service volunteer service club,

next year, " Maxwell said.

In 2005, founded the KARDed program, which stands for Kids Aware of

Rheumatoid Diseases, to bring awareness to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a

disease that affects nearly 300,000 kids nationwide. was 13 when she

learned she has the disease.

" What I am doing is not about me, " she said. " It's about all the kids who

have it and live with it every day. Most people, including myself, thought

arthritis was just an old person's disease. "

works year round to educate the public about juvenile rheumatoid

arthritis and raise money for the Arthritis Foundation. She speaks at school

assemblies, student council and scout meetings, community service

organizations and corporate staff meetings. She also solicits donations from

corporate sponsors, leads a team in an annual walkathon, and meets with

government officials to make sure they know about juvenile arthritis.

Last fall, assembled a group of Harpeth Hall students to stuff 3,000

pre-sold bags of Halloween candy that included an informational flyer on the

disease.

For her efforts, she received the Dawn Hafeli Award for Youth Leadership

from The Arthritis Foundation at the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation's

National Conference this summer in California.

" I love going out and giving money to the Arthritis Foundation, "

said. " I feel like I'm helping people. It could be that some kids may be

having symptoms and not know what is going on. I didn't have a clue. I felt

like I had a sprained ankle that wouldn't go away.

" I found JRA is a mystery to kids, adults and even doctors, " she said,

adding that there is a shortage of pediatric rheumatologists and a need for

better medication.