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Learn about the selection process for the prestigious ALA Girls Nation Senators. Explore eligibility criteria, rules for non-citizens, and tips to choose suitable candidates. Ensure a smooth process and successful representation.
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Senators are elected by the girls. • Senators are chosen by the adult members of the program’s governing body or the staff. • A combination of #1 and #2
#1 Selected by the girls The girls vote for the 2 senators and alternate during your general election. The girls vote for the 2 senators and alternate during a special election. The governor is an automatic ALA GN senator.
#2 The adults choose. The adults on the program’s governing body or staff members choose the 2 senators and alternate. This usually requires an essay/interview process. Girls are nominated by staff members or apply.
#3 A combination of #1 and #2 Somewhere in the process, the adults screen the candidates. The girls have some input.
According to the survey, the majority of ALA Departments use #2 or #3.
Department Eligibility Policy Do you have any restrictions on who is eligible? ( don’t use method #1) Does your department allow non-citizens to be selected? Non-citizens and foreign born have restrictions at ALA GN. (use method #2 or #3 if you DON’T allow non-citizens) The majority of states replied that they allow non-citizens to attend their ALA Girls State programs. Some don’t have any restrictions. Other states restrict non-citizens from running for top-tier offices, including ALA GN.
Is it policy for the governor to be an automatic ALA GN senator? Does your senate pro-tem automatically go? Do your girls have to have the top 2 scores on a government test? How do you stay out of trouble when you don’t want to send a girl that really isn’t a good fit for ALA GN, but meet requirements?
Non-citizens DACA: Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals Legally illegal **card/papers Green Cards: permanent resident **card Student Visa: temporary student-must return to country of origin exchange students ** paperwork
If your department chooses to send a non-citizen, CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATE ON THEIR DOCUMENTATION! Make sure it expires after they return from ALA Girls Nation! See documentation samples You very likely may have a foreign born adoptee. They check the citizenship box. We can’t profile them due to appearance. They have legal documents verifying citizenship through the adoption process. They do not have to show paperwork because they are legal citizens.
Save Yourself Some Headaches! When you begin the selection process, have all candidates clear the dates with their parents before they file, apply, or immediately after being nominated as a candidate. They may not arrive late or leave early!!! Be sure you include the travel dates: Saturday, July 20, 2019-Saturday, July 27, 2019. Girls from Alaska and Hawaii should clear Friday, July 19 as a possible travel day. Sometimes those girls start earlier than everyone else. Your Department is supposed to select 2 senators. Select an alternate!!!!!! If something happens to one of your girls, you don’t want to scramble around replacing her at the last minute.
Warning Signals If the girl is always late at your session, don’t send her. If she has to lay down everyday at 2:00 PM, don’t send her. If she has to eat at very specific times, don’t send her. If she whines and complains, don’t send her. If she always has an excuse, don’t send her. If she doesn’t follow rules or always wants an exception, don’t send her.
Difficult Issues Popularity/sympathy An ALA Girls Nation senator needs to have a decent command of spoken/written English. She needs to be able to help write the legislation. It isn’t fair for one senator to do all the legislative work. If you are considering a girl with physical disabilities/health issues that require her to have an aid and medical equipment like tracheotomy tubes, feeding tubes, wearing adult diapers, large magnification computers, large electronic wheel chairs, or a lift to move her; it may be too much.
If you are considering a girl on the autism spectrum, make sure she is very mild. The communication and social problems they experience during their normal school days are difficult for them. Those girls do best on a strict schedule without surprises. A fast paced week of entirely new experiences will be overwhelming. In the past we have had a hearing impaired girl who required an aid and sign language interpreters. She got along fine. We have had a young lady with a terminal illness. The week was physically difficult for her, but she never missed a beat. We have had a senator that required a scooter cart to help her with our long distance hikes! It was not an issue.
I have seen positive and negative outcomes. In one situation, I question whether the girl got anything out of the week. In the other situation, I believe what she got was minimal. Both situations brought the senate to a grinding halt on several occasions, and made off-campus trips extremely difficult and dangerous. Please consider whether accommodations will allow the girl to participate and have a reasonably similar experience to the other girls. Or will the accommodations have a negative impact on the nature of the entire program and the experience of all participants.
Suggestions for the Selection Process Method #1: Girls select their senators and alternate Girls clear dates with parents Girls file for office Gets signatures from delegates to get her name on ballot Campaigns Gives speeches Presents legislation she would submit at ALA GN Citizens vote in election
Method #2: chosen by adults Staff nominate candidates Nominees clear dates with parents The girl writes a brief essay on Americanism or Why I Want to Represent My State at ALA GN (choose a topic) Staff committee selects finalists for interview Interviews are held Staff votes At any step in the process a girl may be eliminated by a staff member if they have observed negative behavior toward staff or other girls.
Method #3: selected by a combination of adults and girls The adults do the preliminary selections which gives the citizens a group of girls to consider. Girls clear dates with parents. Each girl presents a speech about the legislation she would submit if selected. The citizens vote for 2 senators and an alternate.
Possible Questions for ALA GN Candidates Name the 2 US Senators from our state. How many US Senators make up the Senate? What do you say when you are making a motion? What motion could you use to stop debate? What is the country’s most pressing domestic problem? What do you think is the most serious foreign policy issue we face? Tell us about your community service/involvement? What is the order of Presidential succession? Name the next 4 people in order. Other suggestions?
Are We Selecting the Right Girls for ALA GN? The majority of the girls are wonderful! Out of 100 senators there might be 3 that are behavior issues. Out of 100 senators there might be up to 5 that are not politically savvy enough to keep up. (usually because they don’t keep up with current events, but they are nice girls) Out of 100 senators there may be 2 that never figure out the parliamentary procedure we use. (usually because they aren’t paying attention, they are on their phones)
Out of 100 senators there are usually 2 girls who refuse to work together and follow guidelines for legislation. If we have the maximum in each of the above categories, there are 12 girls who might not have been a great selection. Most years it is 6 to 8 girls in those combined categories. That means that between 88% and 100% of the time, we are selecting the right girls!
