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Students earn honors at 2026 Girls State

Rising high school seniors at Girls State 2026. Bottom: Rafaela Botti of Middlebury (Homeschool), Counselor Quincy Sabick of Vergennes (Dartmouth College ‘30), American Legion Auxiliary Department of Vermont President Tasha Bouvier of Bristol, Counselor Izzy Gogarty of Middlebury; Middle: Lux Tierney of Starksboro (Mt Abe), Alyssa Wade of Brandon (Otter Valley), Julie Connolly of Weybridge (Middlebury), Maddie Stroup of Vergennes (Vergennes), Kaiya Corbett-Anderson of Vergennes (Vergennes), Kelsey Becher of Vergennes (Vergennes); Top: Cora Bliven of Middlebury (Middlebury), Abby Young of Orwell (Fair Haven), Maddie Diop of Bristol (Mt Abe), Georgia Krause of Addison (Vergennes), Isabelle Van Voorst of Vergennes (Vergennes), Lola Rollins of North Ferrisburgh (Vergennes). Photo from Izzy Gogarty

MONTPELIER — A number of local high school rising seniors took part in the American Legion Auxiliary Green Mountain Girls State 2026, which was held from June 20 to June 25 in the capital.

The students met with Speaker of the House Jill Krownski and Lt. Governor John Rodgers while hosting a mock House floor debate on various bills taken up by the legislature this session, offering their own amendments. Abby Young, in her role as Chief Justice, presided over a moot court case at the Vermont Supreme Court, where Green Mountain Girls State lawyers debated the Vermont Supreme Court case State v. Smith, 191 Vt. 222 (2011).

Rafaela Botti of Middlebury was named Model Citizen, Lux Tierney of Starksboro won a Spirit Award and Choir Award, Isabelle Van Vourst of Vergennes won a Spirit Award, Maddie Stroup of Vergennes was elected Green Mountain Girls State Auditor, and Abby Young of Orwell was appointed Chief Justice.

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