Women made strides this past election year. Hillary Clinton ran for the Democratic nomination for President, Sarah Palin made it on the Republican's ticket as the vice presidential candidate, and South Dakota Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin started a family.  Now, local high school girls have come together to follow in their footsteps for Girls State.

It was all business at the University of South Dakota as girls from around the state came together to campaign.

“My running for Governor at Girls State is groundbreaking because I'm totally not the normal candidate,” Faulkton Senior Jade Monroe said.

Monroe was nominated to run for Governor by her party. She says while she didn't come to Girls State expecting to take up the position, she realizes now, just like our leading ladies, that it requires courage.

“To have women up there doing it, doing what we dreamed of in Kindergarten especially the astronaut, president thing we aspired to back in the day, makes it more of a realistic goal,” Monroe said.

Last year, Whitney Jencks was Governor at Girls State and since then, she has spoken at various events.

“If I can do it, If I can do it in our state why can't I do it somewhere else? Why can't I do it in my future career? Why can't I do it in college?” Jencks said.

Of course, the answer is she can.  Through help, guidance and women to look up to she plans to spend her next years polishing her leadership skills.

“It gives girls my age and the younger generations and the future leaders of America the courage to be like alright, they can do it, so can I,” Jencks said.

Both girls say with the leadership roles changing the way they have, they hope that these will become real flyers in the November election.

All the girls have the chance to win four scholarships while attending Girls State.  Its Web site has also set up live streaming video so you can catch all the leadership activities happening at the conference.

Girls State Web Site