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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey spoke at the 80th American Legion Auxiliary’s Alabama Girls State on Tuesday, June 7, on the campus of Troy University.

According to a release from the governor’s press office, Ivey offered words of encouragement, wisdom and a “flag lesson” as the girls involved reached the midway point in the program. According to the release, the more than 320 girls taking part in the program greeted Ivey with a standing ovation at the event.

“Leave Girls State this week with an understanding that the beauty of our democracy is that all people – even a girl from Wilcox County, Alabama – can make a difference if we simply try,” Ivey said to those in attendance.

Alabama Girls State is a week-long program involving the “best and brightest” from high schools all across the state, where the students set up a mock government to replicate the Alabama state government and campaign for elected positions throughout the week. Ivey once took part in Alabama Girls State when she was in high school, as well. During her participation in Alabama Girls State, Ivey was elected as lieutenant governor of the program, a position she would go on to hold in the real world before becoming governor.