s l r i G The r e t a t S
AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY OKLAHOMA GIRLS STATE Governor Nigh with the late Betty McElderry former Girls State Director 2019
Vol 78 Issue 3 May 2022
Governor Nigh with Senior Counselor Taylor Kirtley (granddaughter of Betty McElderry) 2022
THE GEORGE NIGH EXPERIENCE BY JENESSA DUGGER, AKIN CITY
As the Honorable George Nigh was announced, I felt that it wasn’t the first time I had heard that name. Which many will say is not surprising since he is a very well known man and because of the several counselors and staff talking about how amazing he is since we’ve arrived. But soon after he had talked to us, it finally hit me. The expressway that goes through my town was named after Governor George Nigh! I was astonished by the mere fact that I had traveled up and down that expressway my whole life and never actually knew who it was named after. Thanks to Oklahoma Girls State and the time donated to us by Governor Nigh, I finally understood why the expressway and many other things are named after him. Governor Nigh is the most inspiring person I have ever heard from and the sweetest person you can ever meet. He is a dedicated man that will do anything for Oklahomans. As very few know this was the 72nd year that George Nigh came to Oklahoma Girls State and spoke to the delegates, which shows how dedicated and committed he is to the people of Oklahoma! Once Governor Nigh started speaking to
us, we were all very captivated by the stories he told us and the things we could do, even from Oklahoma. It was a great experience for many as Senior Counselor Kristin Nguyen from Akin City stated, “I thought Mr. Nigh was very inspirational and his message really resonated within me. I can tell he loves what he does and I appreciate his dedication and love for the opportunities like Girls State. I hope to someday pave a road for myself like he has done throughout his life, and I’m grateful I got to learn from one of our state’s greatest role models.” One of our state’s greatest role models is a great title for Governor Nigh as he is exactly what a role model should look like. He is, as many describe him: dedicated, inspiring, enthusiastic, and a proud Oklahoman. Governor Nigh repeated many times that “You can do it from here” which means that no matter what field you go into, what you look like, or where you’re from, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to! What an inspiring message we heard from Governor Nigh and from all of Girls State, we thank you!