PCHS seniors lead and succeed at Girls and Boys State

Special to The Pass Post

Pictured (l to r) are Stella Huffman, Olivia Ducksworth, Zuriah Engs, Leeka McBride, Madison Jacobs, Jocelyn Nguyen and Madelene Vo.

This summer, rising seniors at Pass Christian High School (PCHS) stepped into the shoes of lawmakers, civil servants and state leaders at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), participating in the prestigious American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Girls State and American Legion Boys State programs.

The annual summer sessions bring together top high school leaders from across Mississippi to immerse themselves in civic leadership, government operations and community service.

Representing PCHS at Girls State were seniors Leeka McBride, Zuriyah Engs, Madelene Vo, Stella Huffman, Olivia Dedeaux, Jocelyn Nguyen and Madison Jacobs.

Throughout the week-long program, Girls State delegates organized mock political parties, conducted elections and engaged with state leaders. Delegates also took part in traditions honoring service members, including the Poppy Flower tribute and the Prisoners of War (POW) Table remembrance ceremony.

“We learned about our state through mock government elections, learned to appreciate our military through Poppy Flowers and the POW Table, and heard from Mississippi politicians like Secretary of State Michael Watson and Representative Jill Ford,” said McBride.

McBride took her participation a step further by running for one of the highest offices in the program—and coming out on top.

“My favorite part was running for Lieutenant Governor and winning the election by party and by state!” McBride shared. “I won a $1,000 scholarship.”

Madison Jacobs also earned the office of Insurance Commissioner.

Beyond the campaign victory, McBride reflected on the personal and leadership growth she experienced throughout the week.

“I learned how to understand different perspectives and how to collaborate all viewpoints into a project as a leader,” she added.

Pictured (l to r) are Alex Bosarge, Anthony Gooden, American Legion Post 1995 Program Manager Ray Chavaree, Carter Ladner and Trieu Tran

Representing PCHS at Boys State were seniors Carter Ladner, Alex Bosarge, Trieu Tran and Anthony Gooden. The four students were sponsored by American Legion Post 1995, with Program Manager Ray Chavaree providing the funding to make their attendance possible.

Delegates at Boys State were tasked with constructing a functional, self-governing state named “Magnolia.”

Participants established city, county and state governments, ran legislative sessions, drafted bills and debated policies impacting their mock municipalities.

“We participated in forming our own state government for the state of ‘Magnolia,’ forming a State House, Senate, city and county governments, and a Governor’s office,” Ladner explained. “We wrote and passed bills, which all culminated in us passing the budget bill on Friday night. This is when we found out if our city project would be included in the budget.”

For Ladner, the true value of the week came from engaging with peers from diverse backgrounds and learning to navigate differing viewpoints to accomplish common goals.

“My favorite part was meeting my peers from around the state,” said Ladner. “I learned how to collaborate with people I might not agree with.”