2022 Alabama Girls State: 21 Tuscaloosa area students are delegates

Staff report
·2 min read
High school students from across the state convened in the Moody Music Building on the University of Alabama campus for the opening ceremony of Alabama Girls State in this 2014 file photo. Girls State is being held this year in Troy. [Staff file photo]

Twenty-one outstanding members of the junior class from high schools throughout the Tuscaloosa area have been chosen as delegates to attend the Alabama Girls State program at Troy University.

Alabama Girls State runs Sunday through Friday and is sponsored by the Alabama American Legion Auxiliary, including the two local units, McCray-Moody Unit No. 34 and Alberta City Unit No. 123.

The students will be housed Troy University in a mythical State of Alabama Girls State. More than 400 girls and counselors will attend the weeklong workshop in government where they will learn how city, county and state governments are organized and function. The program helps develop leadership skills and congeniality.

They will convene their own session of the Legislature and pass bills they have written and worked on in their sessions at the university. School counselors and officials have worked with members of the local units to select the very best qualified all around students — only one from each school with the exception of schools having more than 200 students in their junior class, which qualify for two delegates.

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The delegates attended a get-to-know-you reception hosted by members and guests of the local units. They received information and orientation from Cathy Randall, Megan Bonhaus, Lucy Bonhaus and Mary Nell Hallman.

Parents of the girls and school counselors were also welcomed.

The 2022 Girls State delegates from West Alabama include:

• American Christian Academy: Jenna Catherine Sheffield, daughter of G. Howell and J. Heather Sheffield, and Rowan Everly, granddaughter of Linda Stewart

• Central High: Hannah Jackson, daughter of Chimere Jackson

• Gordo High: Chanley Campbell, daughter of Jeffery and Anita Campbell

• Hillcrest High: Kennedy Jones, daughter of Laura and Darone Jones, and Ariyah Wallace, daughter of Cheryl and William Wallace

• Holt High: Ja'Narria D. Long, granddaughter of Pamela Edwards

• Holy Spirit: Alyssa Mack, daughter of Myca and William Mack

• Northridge High: Sarah Mitchell, daughter of Heath and Jaime Mitchell, and Jada Conner, daughter of Carol and Dennis Conner

• Northside High: Hanna Carolyn Englebert, daughter of Mary and Chad Englebert

• Sipsey Valley High: Phebe Todd, daughter of Staci and Lee Todd, and Mary Elizabeth Lavender, daughter of Paul and Barbara Lavender

• North River Christian Academy: Audrey Burkhalter, daughter of Todd and Keria Burkhalter

• Tuscaloosa Academy: Jamison Duncan, daughter of Jimmy and Suzie Duncan

• Tuscaloosa County High: Sarah Seale, daughter of Danny and Billie Seale, and Caroline Gibson, daughter of Scott and Suzanne Gibson.

• Tuscaloosa Christian School: Sarah Nell Naramore, daughter of Daniel and Amy Naramore

• Southern Academy: Madeline Sealy. daughter of Jim and Tanya Sealy

• University Church Christian Academy: Meredith Hudson, daughter of Keri and Seth Hudson

• At large: Stella Grace de Graffenreid, daughter of Jennifer and Josh Hayes and Christy and Ryan de Graffenreid

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: 2022 Alabama Girls State: 21 Tuscaloosa area students are delegates