Meeting the many government leaders, hearing them speak, and learning the voting process was the experience Trudy Johnson counts most memorable from her stay at Girls' State, where she was elected state treasurer.

Trudy was sponsored by the Des Plaines American Legion Auxiliary to attend this year's Girls' State from June 16‑23, at Mac Murray College in Jacksonville, Illinois.

Almost 500 girls from cities and towns all over Illinois met to learn about good government and to take part in mock elections run like those on a national scale. The girls were assigned to fictitious cities and fictitious counties and lived in dorms with those of the same "city." They could run for city, county, or state offices.

The representatives were also divided into two parties and during the week campaigned for fellow party members. Attend classes in government, parliamentary procedure, and other subjects also kept the girls busy.

June 22 Trudy and the other state officers were given a police escort to Springfield, where they took a tour of the capitol, and met and were photographed with Illinois government officials.

Trudy stated about her experience at Girls State, "I felt it was beneficial because we learned so much about good government and the power of the people's vote. When we came home we were even prouder for our country than before we went."