Like her mom, Morgan Densberger attended Girls' State at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln June 3 through 9.

Jamie Koerner

    Twenty-eight years later and the Girls' State program is still basically the same.
     Becky Densberger of Malcolm attended Girls' State at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1979 and her daughter, Morgan, was selected to represent Malcolm for the week-long program in 2007.
     The program still takes place on the UNL campus and still has many of the same traditions, Becky said.
     Girls' State is set up as a 51st state and the students are elected to specific positions to run all governing bodies of a community. During the week, the students attend conventions, meetings, lectures and in the majority of the gatherings, will be working in the person of their elected position.
     The 2007 program began June 3 and ended June 9.
     "It sounds like the set-up was basically the same," Becky said. "I remember the governor talked and everyone worked for a certain office like they do now, but I think the program goes more in-depth than it did in '79 because students now are more aware of news and how the government works."
     Morgan said that she was a little hesitant about the program in the beginning.
     "I didn't know what to expect," Morgan said. "But, I learned so much and it was a lifetime experience that I will never forget."
     In 1979, the female students were required to wear beanies on their heads at all times.
     "I still don't know why we had to wear those," Becky said. "It may have been to signify that were in the girls' state program, but I don't know."
     At Girls' State 2007, the 403 women attending the program could wear their evening attire for a special dinner and social time Friday night.
     Morgan said most of the girls wore prom dresses and after the meal the Girls' State participants met the Boys' State participants and had about 45 minutes to socialize.
     "It was nice to get out Friday night because we had been in conventions and meetings all week," Morgan said.
     In 1979, the friends that Becky made at Girls' State remained her friends and they stayed in contact over the years.
     In 2007, Morgan couldn't believe the friendships she made in one week and said she would like to keep in touch with them. The week after the program, Morgan drove from Malcolm to Grand Island to have dinner with a friend from Girls' State.
     In 1979, Becky learned to govern the state through hands-on experience and said that type of teaching method is really effective because you learn by being involved.
     In 2007, Morgan was elected to the school board at Girls' State, where she and others were presented with a funding problem that had to be solved.
     During the process of their efforts, they learned problem solving and budget planning through hands-on experience.
     "You definitely have to let some things go because everyone wanted their solution to be chosen," Morgan said. "You have to compromise to get a solution that will really work."
     Becky said that she is proud of Morgan for her acceptance to Girls' State and said she liked it that Morgan chose to run for a school board position because Morgan's father, Don Densberger, works on the Malcolm Public School board.
     Becky said that Morgan had a great time and it was fun to talk with her about the similarities and differences that came from attending the same program 28 years apart.
     "I think it is very special that we both went [to Girls' State]," Becky said.