Submitted by Alessandra Smith
Colorado Springs
Pikes Peak
On Monday, May 2nd, Alessandra attended the Girl Scouts of Colorado Gold Award Day at the Capitol as a 2016 Gold Award recipient. The Kay Rugeley Shaw Gold Travelship helped to support her trip from Colorado Springs to Denver for this exciting and exclusive event!
Read more about Alessandra’s experience below:
Never did I think I’d be lucky enough to sit in on a session in the House of Representatives. To me, the government is a strange entity that is best left alone. Little did I know that it really is made up of the people.
I came into this situation thinking, “A day at the Capitol? Sounds sweet. I’m in.” And that was really all there was to it. I just love doing things I’ve never done before. I wasn’t truly aware of the prestige of this event, nor just how awesome it was going to be. The fantabulous day began with breakfast at The University Club (if you’re like me and you love buildings/establishments with visible history, this place is the bomb). As soon as I walked in, I could sense I was in a room of special girls. They were all high-achievers, movers and shakers, and yet they didn’t act like any of it had gone to their heads. These were truly superb individuals that I know I’m going to see in the news one day. It felt very humbling, and at the same time, invigorating to be surrounded by these people. It’s very refreshing to be with people who want to do great things outside of school. When I’m with those people, I feel like we’re part of the real world: A place where people make a difference in ways that are important to them. It’s a great change of pace from the soul-sucking image we youth tend to have of society.
After breakfast came the fun part. All of the Gold Award recipients got to tour the state Capitol building. I just adore the state Capitol. First of all, the dome is plated with gold. That is really cool. It just screams “Look at me! Cool things happen in here!” The structure is massive and magnificent. It is adorned with Corinthian pillars, and the stone inside is native Colorado red granite. We visited the Old Supreme Court Chambers, the attic, the dome, and even the House of Representatives!
Best part? The Girl Scout Gold Recipients were introduced to the representatives. Thanks to Representative Court, we Girl Scouts were able to understand what on earth was going on. She was good at putting legal jargon in layman’s terms. At the end of the day, it had finally hit me that I had watched our government in action. A government that a lot of Gold Recipients will probably go on to influence. I pondered these thoughts on the drive home while eating chocolate. Maybe I’ll go on to write a bill.
I never would have had this opportunity had I not earned my Gold Award. I thank my lucky stars to have had the support I have in this endeavor. I pray that lots of girls will get to do the things I did. It’s a wild ride, but it’s full of adventure.
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