When Colleen Staudenmaier first came to Charleston, she did not expect to run for state governor.

The Illinois American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program at Eastern gives high school students a chance to participate in a week of mock state government.

Staudenmaier, a senior at Mount Zion High School, applied for the program after her high school counselor suggested she participate.

Three days after arriving on Eastern’s campus, Staudenmaier was already amid a campaign for the program’s gubernatorial position.

“When I first came here, I wanted to be a top position,” Staudenmaier said. “My city completely supported me and really helped me.”

The 410 girls participating in this year’s Girls State are divided into smaller groups called “counties,” Staudenmaier .

For the larger government roles, a candidate must have 10 people from their county sign a petition, as well as another 15 people from outside their county.

Candidates must complete their petition in four hours, and because all participants can only vote once, Staudenmaier said finding signatures is sometimes difficult.

“I just stood outside the dining hall and asked people to sign my petition, although it was difficult because a lot of people had already voted or promised to vote for someone else,” Staudenmaier said.

She said the first person to turn in their petition is rewarded with the top spot on the ballot.

Staudenmaier won Wednesday’s primary elections, beating out around nine other candidates, she said.

She said she hopes to win the final election.

By winning the program’s governor spot, Staudenmaier said she hopes to learn how state and local governments operate from an interactive point of view.

She also said that the governor, as well as two party leaders, is allowed to attend Girls State the following year, which she said would be exciting.

Staudenmaier said she plans to use her experience at Girls State at an Air Force Academy in Colorado Spring, where she said she plans to study engineering and hopefully fly planes.

“Eighty percent of people who come here get into military academies,” she said. “This program is a great way to understand how government works.”

Celeste Aguzino, a senior from Downers Grove, agreed with Staudenmaier’s claim.

“The program has really taught me the power of relationships,” Aguzino said.

Still in high school, Aguzino has already participated in a variety of government agencies, including a jury for juvenile defenders and the Downer’s Grove’s Village Commission for Transit Parking, of which she is a voting member.

Aguzino is currently campaigning for the program’s secretary of state role and hopes to translate her experiences at Girls State into the political realm.

“I always enjoyed political science and history, and it’s very interesting to come here and apply the skills I’ve learned in school,” Aguzino said.

She said she hopes to pursue a liberal arts degree, possibly in political science or pre-law, from George Washington University after graduation.

Both Aguzino and Staudenmaier agreed the program has taught them valuable lessons and said their abilities to network have greatly improved over the last few days.

Staudenmaier said the biggest lesson learned thus far has been the importance of being relevant among your community, as well as always trying to make new relationships.

Aguzino agreed that being well known is important in politics, but said the camp has taught her a lot about people.

“I think the biggest thing I learned was about diffusing stereotypes,” Aguzino said.

“Even though people are diverse, people really are similar,” she said. “We all have similar interests and experiences, and that’s what I’ve really taken away from the program.”

John Downen can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected].