WHEREAS, during the week of June 16, 2002, 70 young women from across the State of Delaware, students at the state's public and private high schools, have come to Legislative Hall in Dover to participate in the 2002 session of Delaware Girls' State; and

WHEREAS, during their stay here, these young women will be receiving valuable hands-on training and experience in the legislative process and the ways of state government, which will serve them in good stead in their later lives; and

WHEREAS, the experience they are receiving during Girls' State will prove especially useful to those among their number who go on to assume leadership roles in government or seek elective office in the future; and

WHEREAS, the participants in Delaware Girls' State have, during their session, elected from among their ranks a Governor, a Lieutenant Governor, a State Treasurer, a State Auditor, a State Insurance Commissioner and members of both houses of the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, the young women participating in the 2002 session of Girls' State include:

Samata Kamireddy of Charter School

Carrie Armbruster of Brandywine

Amanda E. August of St. Elizabeth

Laura C. Barba of Cab Calloway

Katharine Bente of Sanford

Sheena L. Carter of Indian River

Kathleen Chappel of Smyrna

Cynthia M. Clifton of William Penn

Claire E. Cunningham of Lake Forest

Stephanie Fitzpatrick of Padua

Rebecca F. Gum of Delmar

Melody K. Hernandez of Poly Tech

Kathryn L. Hilovsky of Sussex Central

Kimberly C. Hsu of Brandywine

Colleen E. Hughes of Seaford

Courtney B. Keister of McKean

Elizabeth J. Miller of Middletown

Christine A. Malkiewicz of Dover

Vanessa M. Nutt of Caesar Rodney

Megan L. Paster of Milford

Bina J. Patel of Sussex Central

Rebecca L. Pearson of Poly Tech

Anastasia L. Pettyjohn of Woodbridge

Alexanda G. Reid of Mt. Pleasant

Elyse R. Rivera of Sussex Tech

Summer B. Spicer of Laurel

Danielle M. Thomson of Archmere

Krista N. Thurman of Dickinson

Lisa G. Tremonte of Wilmington Christian

Holly A. Ungerbuehler of St. Marks

Stephanie E. Woods of A. I. Dupont

Rita Clark of Howard

Molly B. Anderson of Wilmington Christian

Deirdre G. Armstrong of Archmere

Laura C. Billings of Middletown

Sarah M. Brown of Brandywine

Jaree D. Browning of Caesar Rodney

Erica C. Chen of Mt. Pleasant

Erin C. Clougherty of St. Thomas More

Catherine M. Cosgrove of Ursuline Academy

Sonia Dasgupta of McKean

Chentell Derrickson of Hodgson Vo-Tech

Angela M. Eanes of Poly Tech

Katie Ellis of Sanford

Amanda E. Fleetwood of Delmar

Stephanie Garvey of Padua

Anusha K. Gopalratnam of Charter School

Jacqueline Gray of Indian River

Jennifer L. Jones of Ursuline Academy

Kimberly R. Jones of Sussex Central

Lauren M. Kovach of Dickinson

Kathryn S. Laprad of Seaford

Amber K. Larimore of Lake Forest

Alexis J. Leyh of Sussex Central

Julie A. Locke of St. Thomas More

Nicole L. Marvel of Cab Calloway

Neeraja Peri of Cape Henlopen

Natassia B. Perrine of Dover

Tya M. Pope of Milford

Michele M. Pukalski of Hodgson Vo-Tech

Yaritza Rodriguez of Delcastle

Kelly M. Royer of Newark

Elizabeth L. Russell of A.I. Dupont

Cara J. Schmidt of St. Mark

Heather D. Sparks of Christiana

Stephanie D. Swain of William Penn

Dusti J. Vanderwende of Woodbridge

Erin C. Williams of Cape Henlopen

Janette H. Yeager of Newark

Sarah M. Zimmerman of Poly Tech

WHEREAS, these young women have learned during their week-long session many of the details of the process whereby a bill becomes a law, and have debated and discussed many issues both timely and of great importance to the State of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, throughout the week the Girls' State delegates have been deeply involved in a study of such subjects as conduct of elections, the operation of the legislative caucus and committee systems, majority and minority positions and many other aspects of the political process, all of which will give them valuable knowledge of the manner in which the American system of representative democracy operates; and

WHEREAS, the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion has once again sponsored this important educational program, as they have done for many years, thereby displaying a deep dedication to the American system of government and to the essential task of ensuring that our youth understand and appreciate that system.

NOW THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 141^st General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives thereof concurring therein, that its members do hereby commend each of the participants in the 2002 Girls' State Session for their hard work and extend to each sincere congratulations on a very successful session at Legislative Hall.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives do hereby extend to every participant sincere best wishes for success in all her future endeavors, together with the hope that at least a few of these fine young Delawareans may one day find themselves again in the Senate or House chamber as duly elected representatives of their fellow citizens.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives do hereby commend and thank the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion for their sponsorship of this outstanding program.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that suitable copies of this Resolution be presented to each of the delegates of the 2002 Session of Girls' State, and to the sponsor of the event, the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion.