Girls State concludes, awards more than $45,000 in scholarships
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
![As director Brooke Cullen Smith (seated) looks on, Mary Barrett (right), American Legion Auxiliary Department of Mississippi president, congratulates Marisa Laudadio of Walnut for being chosen Girls Stater of the Year. The Girls State gathering at Mississippi State concluded Friday [June 12] with an awards ceremony at the university's Humphrey Coliseum.](http://photos.msstate.edu/releases/photos/7297.jpg "As director Brooke Cullen Smith (seated) looks on, Mary Barrett (right), American Legion Auxiliary Department of Mississippi president, congratulates Marisa Laudadio of Walnut for being chosen Girls Stater of the Year. The Girls State gathering at Mississippi State concluded Friday [June 12] with an awards ceremony at the university's Humphrey Coliseum.")
Photo by: Megan Bean
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Following a week at Mississippi State, Girls State participants from around the Magnolia State are returning to their hometowns with a better understanding and appreciation for the U.S. governmental and electoral processes.
Many of the nearly 300 rising high school senior girls also departed the university Friday [June 12] with highly coveted scholarships. This year, the Mississippi American Legion Auxiliary Girls State awarded a total of more than $45,000 in honors.
Also, two participants were elected by their peers to represent Mississippi in Washington, D.C. Chasity Garrett of Burnsville and Ceili Rassier of Hattiesburg will travel to the nation's capital for the July 25-Aug. 1 Girls Nation convention.
Makayla Puckett of Lucedale and Kirsten Radanof of Brandon were named alternate delegates in case either Garrett or Rassier are unable to attend.
James P. Dean Girls State Scholarships went to those elected during the week to leadership positions. Also with overall awards, they include (by hometown):
AMORY--Gracie Flippo, City of Rodgers's Outstanding Citizen, and Savannah Nelson, elected mayor. Each received $500.
BRANDON--Kirsten Radanof, elected Girls Nation alternate, $1,000; and Jasmine Whitker, elected state treasurer, $1,500.
BURNSVILLE--Chasity Garrett, elected Girls Nation delegate, $2,500.
CLARKSDALE--Georgia Griffin, elected lieutenant governor, $2,500.
CLEVELAND--Lyndsi Naron, elected mayor, and Jasmine Shepard, Moore/Chan Memorial Scholarship. Each received $500.
COLUMBUS--Victoria Bradley, the City of Lyles's Outstanding Citizen, $500.
DIAMONDHEAD--Lena Turner, Tommie Stroud Scholarship, $500.
FOREST--Brooke Atkison, City of Willis's Outstanding Citizen, $500.
GAUTIER--Candyce Martin, elected mayor and City of Vuncannon's Outstanding Citizen, $500 each.
GRENADA--Katie Myrick, elected mayor, $500.
GULFPORT--Ramsey Wagner, City of Dungan's Outstanding Citizen, $500.
HATTIESBURG--Princess Hilton, elected mayor, $500; Andi McLain, elected mayor, $500; Lauren Pitts, City of McCain's Outstanding Citizen, $500; and Ceili Rassier, elected secretary of state and Girls Nation delegate, $1,500 and $2,500, respectively;.
JACKSON--Curtisha Brown, elected mayor, and Melanie Owah, City of Neal's Outstanding Citizen. Each received $500.
LUCEDALE--Ashlyn Stringfellow, elected state auditor, $1,500; and Makayla Puckett, elected speaker of the house and Girls Nation alternate, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.
MADISON--Madeline Beasley, elected commissioner of agriculture, $1,000; and Anna Daniels, elected attorney general, $1,500.
MAGEE--Mia Barber, elected mayor, $500.
MENDENHALL--Joanna Kincaid, elected mayor, $500.
MOSS POINT--Tristan Bouler, elected mayor, and Natalie Newton, McCorkle-Whitten Memorial Scholarship. Each received $500.
PASCAGOULA--Emilia Kell Armond, elected mayor, $500.
PURVIS--Caroline Bell, elected governor, $3,000.
RICHLAND--Ava Raye Sullivan, City of Blanchard's Outstanding Citizen, $500.
SALTILLO--Britton Webb, elected commissioner of insurance, $1,000; Elizabeth Webb, City of Stroud's Outstanding Citizen, $500; and Sarah Webb, elected party manager, $1,000.
SAUCIER--Skylar Trosclair, City of Bassett's Outstanding Citizen, $500.
STONEVILLE--Cecilia Trotter, elected mayor and City of Ghetti's Outstanding Citizen, $500 each.
STRINGER--Kailey Ready, Keet Peetz Memorial Scholarship, $500.
TUPELO--Lakoya Gordon, elected party manager, $1,000.
WALNUT--Marisa Laudadio, Girls Stater of the Year, $500; Samsung Scholarship, $1,000; and City of Merriman's Outstanding Citizen, $500.
Additionally, 10 Girls State staff members each received $500 awards, and first-, second- and third-place overall Outstanding City honors went to the fictional municipalities of Dungan, Merriman and Stroud.
For more information about Magnolia Girls State, visit www.magnoliagirlsstate.org.
MSU, the state's flagship research institution, is online at msstate.edu, meridian.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate and twitter.com/msstate, using hashtag #WeRingTrue.