Ashley Cetnarowski, ALA Girls State Board Member
Ten years ago, I walked into the dorms at Michigan State University to check in for a week-long camp, unsure of my voice and even less certain of my place in the world. I left a week later, standing taller and speaking with more conviction, unaware that the confidence I gained during this camp would change me forever. A decade later, I say with certainty that American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Girls State did not just impact me for one week – it shaped the direction of my life entirely.
The effects of attending the ALA Girls State program went beyond just that week in the summer of my senior year of high school. ALA Girls State set me on an upward trajectory that has transcended into many other parts of my life. On my 10th anniversary of being an ALA Girls State citizen, it feels fitting to reflect on this experience and honor all it has made possible through this newsletter piece.
I left ALA Girls State knowing that I wanted to give back to the program that had given me so much. I applied to be a City Counselor and served in this capacity in person in 2018 and 2019. Each year, I grew a little more, becoming a stronger leader. I continued to counsel through a screen as COVID-19 reshaped ALA Girls State as I knew it. When ALA Girls State returned in person in 2023, I stepped into a new role of General Counselor. It is here that I realized ALA Girls State was not just a chapter in my life: it was a part of it. I have served as the General Counselor, leading an incredible staff of counselors throughout the week while acting as a liaison between the ALA, the citizens, my staff, and the government.
In 2024, my connection to the American Legion Auxiliary deepened further as I became a member. I received a “trifecta” in the ALA Girls State world: citizen, counselor, and now, Lady of the ALA. When the ALA Girls State board had a vacancy, I was the first to throw my hat in the ring because I have experienced this camp from nearly every perspective and felt both prepared and compelled to continue serving it.
ALA Girls State matters to me because it has given me far more than a week in June to look forward to each year. The skills I have developed through this program and through my involvement of its leadership have followed me into every stage of life. I returned to college after dropping out, where I am now a 4.0 college student set to graduate this May. It gave me a platform through my participation in the Miss Michigan Scholarship Program. It gave me the tools and the knowledge that I needed to start a nonprofit organization called Second Chance Scholars. I am not just a better leader because of ALA Girls State; I am a better person because of it.
My story is just one of hundreds of thousands that exist across the United States. I am only one example of the young girls who have gone on to be successful women because of this program. We are your future teachers, lawyers, doctors, ALA members, nonprofit founders, and leaders. I found more than just my voice at ALA Girls State. I found a purpose. Sponsoring a citizen from your hometown will allow her to find hers, too.
To learn more about Michigan Girls State Click Here
To learn about the American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation Program Click Here.