Marty Lieser (center), Erin O'Fallon (right), and Stephanie Hoeft (left) were selected as delegates to this year's American Legion Boys and Girls State.Boys State will be held June 11-17 at St. Olaf College, Northfield. Girls State is held the same week at Bethel College, St. Paul.
All three are juniors at Paynesville Area High School.
Girls and boys staters are learning by participation experience. Participants will learn about the political process by holding their own caucuses, platforms, and conventions. They will elect a party caucus chairman, caucus clerk, and delegates to the party county convention. They will also hold their own city elections.
To be eligible for Boys State, Marty Lieser had to write an essay, up to 500 words, and be interviewed by the local committee. To be eligible for Girls State, the girls need to have a grade point average in the top half of their class. The three were the only applicants.
Marty is the son of Gary and Corrine Lieser. He will be representing the Paynesville American Legion at Boys State. He is involved in knowledge bowl, football, and baseball. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and Letterwinner's Club.
Outside of school, Lieser is active in church events in Spring Hill.
Stephanie is the daughter of Jerry and Melody Hoeft. She will be representing Lake Henry at Girls State.
Stephanie is a member of the National Honor Society, and letterwinners club. She is a peer helper, peer tutor, and a student mediator. Steph has also taught Spanish to fifth graders.
Last summer she represented Paynesville on the United Nation's Pilgrimage to New York.
Erin is the daughter of Jim and Gretchen O'Fallon. She will be repre-senting Paynesville at Girls State.
Erin is a member of the high school band and marching band, and the choir and pops choir. She is a mentor and PALS participant. She also competes on the varsity golf team and is a member of the Letterwinner's Club.
Outside of school, Erin is a mentor for a confirmation class at the St. Louis Catholic Church.