Jessica Oquendo Vazquez, on left; Lydia Lokietek, on right. Submitted Photo.

Dunkirk Memorial American Legion Auxiliary Unit 62 is proud to announce Dunkirk High School Juniors, Lydia Lokietek and Jessica Oquendo Vazquez on being selected as their 2020 Empire Girls State delegates.

Lydia is a member of the Junior class at Dunkirk High School. She is an honor student and a member of the National Honor Society. She is also a member of Dunkirk’s Envirothon Team and is highly involved in her schools recycling program. Lydia enjoys serving at her local church and is always willing to offer her support anywhere she is needed. Lydia is always thinking ahead and is very artistic. She plans to pursue a higher education in the field of environmental science. Lydia is the daughter of Matthew and Christie Lokietek.

Jessica is a member of the Junior class at Dunkirk High School. She is an honor student and a member of the National Honor Society. She is also involved in sports activities including pole vaulting and the varsity track team. Jessica is an ambitious student and plans to pursue a career in biotechnology. Jessica is the daughter of Jessica Vazquez.

Empire Girls State is one of the American Legion Auxiliary’s premier programs. The educational Americanism program was developed to offer a better perspective of the practical government operations and to emphasize the integral role that individuals have within a democratic government. Only 360 students are chosen from high schools across New York State. To be eligible for selection, each student must have outstanding qualities of leadership, character, honesty, scholarship, cooperation and maturity. The program also allows participants the opportunity to enroll and earn college credits after they have attended the program.

High school juniors are selected to participate in a week-long educational experience with hands on workshops on the political process that is designed to create a government from county to the state level. These young ladies work very hard throughout the week as their involvement provides them with a greater understanding of their role within a democracy. It also teaches life skills they can use in the future, including how to run a meeting, parliamentary procedures and Roberts Rules of Order. They will arrive as strangers and depart as friends, confident of their role and duties as citizens in a democratic society.

Lydia and Jessica will be traveling to SUNY Brockport on June 28 to July 4 through the sponsorship of Dunkirk Memorial Auxiliary Unit 62. Congratulations to these two outstanding citizens!