Grayslake student to be state senator for Girls Nation
Submitted by J. Hope Babowice
Hannah Groenke, 17, a rising senior at Grayslake Central High School, was one of two "senators" selected from more than 400 Illinois high school students to attend the American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation program in Washington, D.C.
Groenke drafted a bill at the Illini Girls State program in June mandating that professionally created photos include disclaimers when altered to enhance the model's appearance. The bill proposes that every image that has been altered be required to include a written disclaimer or a nationally recognized disclaimer symbol. The aim of the bill is to help people love themselves for who they are.
Her bill will be presented for a vote to Girls Nation senators. The other Illinois senator attending this year's Girls Nation is Phylinese Brooks from Freeport.
Now in their 76th year, the Girls State and Girls Nation programs, created and funded by the American Legion Auxiliary, bring students together from across the state and country who are rising high school seniors to experience a practical exploration of law and government.
Starting with Girls State, students are assigned to cities and counties and encouraged to run for local, regional and state-level offices at the weeklong program. Students also take civics classes and participate in sessions on writing legislation. This year's Illini Girls State session was held June 19-25. Two representatives from each of the 50 Girls State programs are selected for Girls Nation, which began July 23.
Arlene Lolley, president of the Mundelein American Legion Auxiliary Unit 867, said Groenke will be the first Girls Nation representative from Lake County in more than six years.
"It's great to see our talented students from Lake County being recognized and represented at Girls Nation," Lolley said. "This is a terrific, life-changing leadership program and no doubt those who participate see personal growth and find professional direction as a result of their experiences. We are very happy for Hannah and wish her the best."
The 100 Girls Nation senators will caucus at the beginning of the session, organize into committees and conduct hearings on bills, a process that teaches legislative procedure as executed by the U.S. Senate. Groenke is optimistic about the outcome of her bill at Girls Nation.
"There will be 50 bills to review and it can take up to an hour to present a bill," she said. "Hopefully ours gets debated on the floor. I've heard a lot of Illinois bills get debated and we have a good shot."
Initially, Groenke hadn't planned to proceed further than election to a city position at Girls State.
"They told us right at the beginning, if you have an idea for a national bill, you can apply for Girls Nation. Then it all clicked," she said.
She wrote the bill while campaigning and wining election to the position of state senator.
"I find the inner workings of government so interesting," she said. "The intricacies of writing a bill, finding out what works, fixing it and presenting it to other state officials."
Plans at Girls Nation include a tour of the White House and national monuments and participation in the changing of the guard at Arlington Cemetery. Groenke and Brooks will meet with Illinois Senators Kirk and Durbin. Groenke hopes to study biomedical engineering in college but after her Girls State experience has a clearer understanding of roles she might undertake in the political realm. "I've always found politics interesting, but I now feel like it's much more hands-on and there's a way to be a part of it."
The American Legion Auxiliary Mundelein Unit 867 sponsored Groenke and 14 other Lake County girls to attend Girls State and provided funding along with Grayslake Post 659. The Mundelein Auxiliary has developed a number of outreach initiatives to secure funding for the program, which charges $330 per attendee for Illini Girls State. Their creative efforts earned a Best Innovative Fundraising award from the American Legion Auxiliary.
Through state Rep. Ed Sullivan of Mundelein, the Mundelein Auxiliary received a significant grant from AT&T. Community businesses and organizations that made donations include Wintrust Community Banks; Don Hamel of Jerry's Auto, Libertyville; Kiwanis Club of Grayslake; Lake Zurich American Legion Post 964; the village of Grayslake; an in-kind contribution from Mundelein's Double Tree Hotel by Marriot; and contributions from state Reps. Barbara Wheeler of Crystal Lake and Sheri Jesiel of Antioch. The Mundelein Auxiliary also raises funds through raffle ticket sales. Businesses, organizations and residents interested in supporting Lake County students for the Illini Girls State program can contact Arlene Lolley, at (847) 361-4769.
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