Russellville youth leaders improve citizenship

Kelsey Schrimpf, Cole County R-I Schools delegate to Missouri Girls State 2013
Kelsey Schrimpf, Cole County R-I Schools delegate to Missouri Girls State 2013

WARRENSBURG - Two leaders from Cole County R-I High School dedicated a week of their summer break to be immersed in a functional citizenship experience.

photo

Kalie Brown and Daniel Powell

Kelsey Schrimpf and Andrew Ford were delegates to the American Legion-hosted Boys State and the American Legion Auxiliary-hosted Girls State.

Incoming seniors are selected based on leadership, citizenship, academics and character during their junior year.

Schrimpf and Ford were sponsored by Community Point Bank in Russellville and Farmers Bank of Lohman, respectively.

At each week-long event on the University of Central Missouri campus in Warrensburg, nearly 1,000 young leaders build a mock state government and learn about citizenship.

Ford was the director of the Department of Emergency Management and served as an election judge for the state general election.

Schrimpf was elected as the municipal judge of Pershing City and the Scott County Circuit Court Clerk.

And she served as secretary for the Scott County Central Committee.

"Through these positions, I was able to attend "trials' held through the week at Girls State," Schrimpf said.

Schrimpf attended the law instruction classes and Ford studied at the public administration school.

"I met many new and awesome people," Schrimpf said. "My time at Girls State was priceless."

Missouri Girls State this year also hosted 21 Chinese delegates.

"That experience alone made me realize and acknowledge the fact that although America is a great country, it is not the center of the world," Schrimpf said.