ADA, OH (WLIO) - Research shows that around the 5th grade, the gap in political ambition starts to grow between boys and girls. That's why Ohio Northern University's Institute for Civics and Public Policy created the Girls Increasing Representation Leadership Summit (G.I.R.L.S.)
It's the second year for the event to show middle school girls the importance of female representation in politics. They heard from Kenton Mayor Lynn Jones Webb and Ada councilor and candidate for the 83rd Ohio House District, Sheila Coressel, about why they got into politics.
"You can't be what you can't see. So, seeing the women in politics, who are representing the city of Kenton and Ada, as well as seeing the college girls who are maybe more close in age to these girls, Oh I can do that. That looks like fun, and I have space in that realm," says Dr. Theresa Schroeder-Hageman, ONU Political Science Professor.
Members of the institute are glad to put this summit on and wish they had something like this when they were in middle school.
"When I heard about this, I just thought like, Oh little Sunny would have loved to do something like this," says Sunny Lloyd, ONU Fr. & Member of the Institute for Civics and Public Policy. "And I know every opportunity I had similar to this I would totally take up in a heartbeat. So, I am very happy to have this type of event and be able to help foster it. Get it from an idea, and actually happening in real life and I really hope that they all enjoy it. I know I would for sure as a little child."
Right now, the summit is just for Ada, Kenton, and USV girls, but they want to invite other school districts in the future.
