Important professional and political figures from Illinois have been scheduled to speak to high school-aged girls who arrived at Eastern Sunday morning to begin a week-long program.

The American Legion of Auxiliary Illini Girls State select mostly juniors in high school, who have good academic standing and show leadership skills, to come to Eastern and learn about the government.

Through mock government activities, guest speakers and several assemblies the girls, most of which are from the Illinois metropolitan area, are taught how to run a government while instilling a sense of patriotism and citizenship in the girls.

The girls are divided into smaller groups and are given a city name in which they form their own mock government systems while using the election process to run for city offices such as governor or mayor.

The program opened Sunday morning in the Martin Luther King University Union Grand Ballroom where they were welcomed by Interim President Lou Hencken and Grace Yang, 2001 Governor of the American Legion.

Monday was filled with speakers including Chapen Rose, the Assistant State’s Attorney from Champaign County and later in the evening, Rita Garman from the Supreme Court Justice gave a lecture in the Dvorak Concert Hall.

According to Pamela Ray, Director of Ilini Girls State, the lectures and speakers provide information as to how the real government runs and guidelines on how to run their own government bodies.

After the daily flag raising, Tuesday included three speakers beginning with Judy Fraser, the weather reporter from WCIA-TV.

Tuesday afternoon Gail Starr, National Security Chairman, spoke at Dvorak Hall.

Tuesday’s events ended with an assembly at 7:30 p.m. with Carole Pankau, state representative from the 49th District.

Karen Hasara, Mayor of Springfield and Brenda Newman, Department Poppy Chairman will speaking to the girls in the Dvorak Concert Hall Wednesday at 2 p.m?.

Thursday morning will begin with the candidates forum and Jill Nilsen, Vice President of External Relations at EIU speaking at Dvorak.

A Sept. 11 memorial will be displayed at 2 p.m. for the girls followed by guest speaker Jeff Perkins.

The night will end for the girls with speaker Corrine Wood, Illinois Lieutenant Governor, and a music program and talent show preview produced by the girls. The director could not be reached regarding details on any of these speakers.

Friday is the last day the girls will be performing their mock governments and their last speaker is Marion Schwerman, Department Education Chair speaking about scholarships and education.

Friday evening, the Premier Boys State Representatives and American Legion Distinguished Guests including past department presidents of theLegion will visit the girls to make closing statements.

A variety show the girls will have prepared will be put on to the groups of girls and program leaders. A farewell around the flagpole at 10 p.m. that night will wrap up the week for the girls.

Saturday after their closing assemblies and 2002 tree planting, the girls pack up and get ready to head out by noon.