Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon sending four to Girls State in June

The 60th Session of Arkansas Girls State will be held at Harding University in Searcy, June 2-7.

Four Gurdon High School junior girls will represent Gurdon. They are: Lacey Renee Jester, Bonnie Ferguson, Andrea Finley, and Kelly Jo Runyan.

The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors Girls State. The delegates are selected on the basis of scholarship, leadership, character, and honesty.

Contributors who are lending their financial assistance are: C.D. & E. Club, Gurdon Rotary Club, Mr. and Mrs. Austin Capps, and First State Bank.

Louise Davies, Girls State chairman and president of the Gurdon Legion Auxiliary, said Girls State is an educational experience in state government. They learn the duties, privileges and responsibilities of state government and how it functions by living in mythical cities and electing their own officials.

The delegates will spend one day at the State Capitol in Little Rock.

Lacey Renee Jester, 17, is the daughter of Grady and Becky Jester. Jester is a junior at Gurdon High School where she serves as president of the junior class, and also, is a member of the GHS Student Council. She has a 4.0 grade average.

Jester is currently a member of the National Honor Society and National Beta Club. She served as page to Rep. Tommy Roebuck in the 2001 legislative session. She is a trained student facilitator for CHAMPS peer leadership program and enjoys working with the young students who are chosen to be trained in CHAMPS. She also enjoys being a GHS cheerleader.

She is a member of the Center Grove United Methodist Church and also regularly attends Hot Church, a special worship service for area youth.

After high school graduation in 2003, she plans to attend college and at this time is undecided in her major.

Bonnie Ferguson is the daughter of Richard and Polly Ferguson. She attends the First United Methodist Church of Arkadelphia and also, regularly attends Hot Church.

Ferguson is a member of the National Beta Club and the National Honor Society.

She is a trained student facilitator for the CHAMPS peer leadership program and has enjoyed cheering for the Go-Devils for the past four years. After graduation, she plans to attend college and at this time is undecided in her major.

Andrea Finley is the daughter of Bobby and Mary Ann Jester. She attends Trinity Temple Assembly of God Church in Arkadelphia.

She is a member of the National Beta Club and the National Honor Society. For the past four years, she has cheered for the Gurdon Go-Devils.

Kelly Jo Runyan, Arkansas Girls State delegate, is the daughter of Jesse and Pam Runyan.

Runyan is a junior at Gurdon High School, and serves as a class representative for the Student Council for three years. She presently serves as drum major for the Go-Devil band. She is also a member of the Beta Club.

Runyan is a member of Beech Street Baptist Church where she is involved in its youth ministries.