Girls get behind-scenes look at government
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At age 16, Faith Su is undecided on a career.
But after observing state Rep. Matthew H. Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, at work in Harrisburg, her interest in serving in state government has been sparked.
"It is something I want to get into as I can help the people of Mt. Lebanon," said Faith, a junior at Mt. Lebanon High School.
Faith was among 100 girls from Allegheny, Greene, Fayette and Washington counties who shadowed their state legislators last month as part of the Women and Girls Foundation's Girl Gov Program.
"It's nice for them to see behind the curtain and what a day is like in the life of an elected official," Mr. Smith said.
Among other activities, he and the three girls who shadowed him attended a Department of Health hearing on the UPMC-Highmark dispute and toured the House floor to see how votes are taken.
The one-day program, held each year, provides teenage girls in grades 8-12 with a behind-the-scenes peek into the machinations of state government. Its goal is to encourage the girls to become more informed, engaged and interested in the political process, said Heather Arnet, chief executive officer of the Women and Girls Foundation.
The independent, community-based foundation is headquartered in Station Square and serves 11 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. Its mission is to create a region where women and girls have equal access, opportunity and influence in all aspects of their public and private lives. It relies on donations, grants, corporate sponsors and private family foundations for funding.
When operations began in 2004 at the foundation, Pennsylvania was 46th out of 50 states in representation of women in politics, Ms. Arnet said. Today, it is 42nd.
"Moving Pennsylvania up those rankings has been a chief priority of WGF," she said.
Hanna Campbell, 15, a sophomore at Mt. Lebanon High School who shadowed state Rep. Joseph Markosek, D-Monroeville, at a press conference and two caucus meetings, participated in the program because of her interest in politics.
She loves languages and is learning Spanish, German, French and Cantonese and would like to work in government as an ambassador.
The afternoon ended with an all-women panel discussion and question-and-answer session about women in politics that included Pennsylvania Inspector General Kenya Mann Faulkner and other officials.
Mary Hornak, 17, a senior at Upper St. Clair High School, shadowed Mr. Smith. She is considering a career in journalism and government and said she found the interaction with professionals in those fields especially instructive.
"I liked that I could talk with female journalists and learned how being female in government means you have to overcome obstacles, but once you get there, you are on the same level," she said.
Mr. Smith, who has participated in the program for three years, said he also finds the experience as valuable as the person who is being shadowed.
"It's always great from my perspective and inspiring to see these young girls so interested in public service," he said.
More information is available at www.wgfpa.org.
First Published November 10, 2011 5:53 am
