Not everyone spending time in Washington is disgusted with partisan politics.
Lyons Township High School senior Melissa Fuentes caught a ray of hope for the future after she attended a summer program in the nation’s capital on the legislative process.
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“It’s really changed what I want to get involved in, and it’s shown me politics and government through a different lens,” Fuentes said.
The La Grange Park teen’s journey to Washington, D.C. began in June as a participant with the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
Fuentes was one of about 400 girls sponsored by various American Legion posts and other groups who met to experience how state government works. During the weeklong program, Fuentes said she decided to run for senator to be one of two girls representing Illinois at the American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation program.
“It was a tough process, very intimidating at first to stand up and answer questions in front of 400 girls,” she said. ‘The whistle stops were a bit more personal with about 100 girls at a time. I came in and presented my bill. I had to do a lot of researching and be able to answer questions.”
Fuentes said she chose to present a bill to expand the earned income tax credit, as an alternative to raising the minimum wage, by lowering the age of eligibility to qualify.
“I’ve been on the speech team at school since sophomore year,” she said. “I took advantage of that and used the same mind. I tried to win people over by being personable and likable and making a genuine connection.”
In addition to experiencing the workings of government first hand, Fuentes said she also wanted to be involved in the program because a number of her family members have served in the Armed Forces.
“I thought it would be such a good opportunity to learn about politics and how government operates,” she said. “I’d never been in an election, but I thought it would be an awesome opportunity.”
A week of scheduled activities flew by with time to debate only 13 of more than 30 bills sponsored by students in the program, she said. They also took time to see the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and Capitol Hill.
Fuentes said she and Emma Sementi from Tuscola, Ill. met a legislative aide to Sen. Dick Durbin, who was on the floor during a session. The two girls later had a chance to meet Sen. Mark Kirk.
The highlight of the trip was a White House tour and meeting President Obama, Fuentes said.
“We were all quiet and just waiting for him, and I could hear him talking and his voice echoing from the end of the hallway. Everyone tensed up,” she said. “He had a lot of interesting things to say about women, government and politics and our role as leaders.”
Fuentes said the president then met and shook hands with each girl, and she could hardly wait to tell him they were from the same state.
“That was so cool. I told all my friends, ‘yeah, Barack Obama says hi,'” she said.
Fuentes said the experience has encouraged her to develop her potential as a leader.
“It was an empowering trip. No one treated me like a kid,” she said. “I felt like an adult, like we were all leaders meant to be there.”
Fuentes said she’s been inspired to follow politics much more closely now, though she has little time to become involved during a busy senior year. She is applying to colleges and keeping up with homework and the speech team schedule. She plans to major in political science and earn a law degree.
“I would love to eventually get into politics and have a voice in government,” she said.
Stacy Poca, communications specialist with the American Legion Auxiliary national headquarters in Indianapolis, said the Girls Nation program is intended to give high school girls a working knowledge of the government process through experience.
“It not only provides practical insight into our federal government, it also instills in the girls a love of country, the importance of supporting our veterans and friendship and life lessons that will last a lifetime.”
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