Several high school girls from around Pierce County took part in the annual Evergreen Girls State seminar June 14-20 at Central Washington University, while several local boys participated in Boys State at the Ellensburg campus this past week.

The national programs, sponsored by the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary, teach youths – all of whom are about to become high school seniors – about the rights and responsibilities of government at the city, county and state levels. The students run for and are elected to mock government offices.

Kimberly Auton of Emerald Ridge High School was elected governor of Girls State, marking the second year the Puyallup school has provided the governor.

The local Girls State participants, and their schools, are:

 • Bellarmine Preparatory School: Brenna Brown.

 • Bethel High School: Kassie Andrews, Anna McCracken, Rachel Strom.

 • Bonney Lake High School: Melissa Day.

 • Curtis High School: Jiyoung Shin.

 • Emerald Ridge High School: Kimberly Auton.

 • Franklin Pierce High School: Keri Lynn Spafford.

 • Graham-Kapowsin High School: Caitlin Gibson, Lacee Ostbye.

 • Lakes High School: Leigha McGrady, Vericona Wright.

 • Mount Tahoma High School: Alexandria Horton, Brenda Solene Jemenez, Wendy Martinez, Anna Ngyen, Christine Smithe.

 • Puyallup High School: Cecilia Pham.

 • Rogers High School: Iriza Guray, Albryona Pope.

 • Spanaway Lake High School: Jamie Hughes, Katee Rich.

 • Tacoma Baptist High School: Angelina Johnson, Kelsey Lyons.

 • Washington High School: Kendahl Heffron, Kelly Sun.

The local Boys State participants, and their schools, are:

 • Bellarmine Preparatory School: Clinton Brink, Andrew Haas, Hartej Rai.

 • Bethel High School: Cotton Markham, Kevin Shotwell.

 • Bonney Lake High School: Cody Franz.

 • Curtis High School: Demick Belleci, Dylan Johnson, Jose Yey Manaois.

 • Eatonville High School: Nicholas Fairhart.

 • Emerald Ridge High School: Christofer McKay, Benjamin Heckert, Greg Medlock.

 • Foss High School: Richard Littrell, Nathaniel Ware.

 • Franklin Pierce High School: Jarontae Brown.

 • Graham-Kapowsin High School: Grant Lang.

 • Harrison Preparatory School: Ashok Chandwaney, Nicholas Colburn.

 • Lakes High School: Dennis Wise, Dominik Allen.

 • Rogers High School: James Chang.

 • Spanaway High School: Elijah Ellis.

 • Stadium High School: Casey Wing.

 • Tacoma Baptist High School: Ryan Talen, Micah Slifer.

 • Washington High School: Rene Alverez, Gavin Knowles, Lee Klyeon.

Matt Misterek, The News Tribune