Waukon High School junior Laynee Benson selected to attend Girls State through St. Olaf Legion Auxiliary

The St. Olaf American Legion Auxiliary has selected Allie Crogan and Laynee Benson - both Jr. Auxiliary members - to represent the unit at the 2017 Iowa Girls State to be held June 18-23 at the Drake University Campus in Des Moines. During the week, the girls will experience this nation's democratic form of government by assuming the roles of city, county and state officials or legislators. They will be using social and academic skills they have already acquired and learn new skills essential for responsible citizenship, as well as making and establishing lifelong friendships.

Laynee Benson is the daughter of Mary and Darrel Miller of Waukon and Donald Benson of Wisconsin. She just completed her junior year at Waukon High School, where she is vice president of the local Food & Fitness Initiative and is currently taking general education classes through the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center to get a headstart with college.

She is currently employed as a Dietary Aide at Good Samaritan Care Center in Waukon and also does daycare three days a week. Her younger siblings are Michael and Keira.

Allie Crogan is the daughter of Ken and Heather Crogan of St. Olaf who recently completed her junior year at MFL/MarMac in Monona. She has completed courses in Advanced Writing, Chemistry, Functions & Trigonometry, Spanish 3 and Pre-employment Strategies. She has also taken two college courses and is involved in Mixed Choir.

Her part-time jobs are at Casey's and Garden View Care Center in Monona. She has an older sister, Liz, who also attended Girls State.