Dayo Adeoye, who will be a senior at Marysville High School, was elected governor at Buckeye Girls State this week. Adeoye is shown above as she selects her cabinet at the week-long event conducted by the American Legion Auxiliary to educate women on government and citizenship.
(Photo submitted)
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Upon attending Buckeye Girls State, Marysville High School senior Dayo Adeoye didn’t think she would make it as far as she did in the government simulation.
Adeoye was elected by her peers Wednesday as governor of the week-long camp, a job that includes running Buckeye Girls State, selecting cabinet members and conducting meetings. One thing she will take away from the experience of being governor is to “always take risks,” Adeoye said.
Buckeye Girls State is hosted by the American Legion Auxiliary of Ohio and educates “young women in the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of good citizenship,” according to the organization’s website. The attendees are separated by their which dorms they live in for the week and are elected to fill government roles at the city, county and state levels. It takes place at the University of Mount Union Alliance and will conclude today.
Adeoye is the daughter of Martins Adeoye and Yetunde Durodola-Anderson and Dominic Anderson. Adeoye is interested in law and government. She plans to study public policy after high school, looking toward a career as an international human rights lawyer.
Adeoye spent the beginning of the week campaigning and holding rallies. From there she was endorsed by her party, which is formed by splitting the more than 800 girls in two groups, and put on the primary election ballot. After the primary elections, debates were held between the remaining candidates and the final election was held Wednesday.
“You definitely have to win the hearts of a growing number of people,” Adeoye said.
After elections, Adeoye took office on Thursday and will run Buckeye Girls State for the remainder of the week, similar to the way Governor John Kasich runs the State of Ohio. Adeoye is backed by a full staff that help her with different duties. In her run as governor, she has taken on educational and health policies, Adeoye said.
Pam Dimmerman, advisor to the governor’s office, said Adeoye has done an excellent job in her position.
“She is an excellent leader,” Dimmerman said. “You can tell by the way the girls respond to her.”
As an advisor, Dimmerman uses her experience working in a U.S. Senator’s office to help the governor’s office at Buckeyes Girls State. She helps the governor’s office promote its agenda by writing press releases and letters to constituents.
“It is a full-functioning state government and political office,” she said.
Adeoye has enjoyed meeting all of the people at the camp that she wouldn’t have had a chance to meet. She called the event a “utopia,” saying it’s empowering to see so many girls “collaborating so seamlessly.”
“We represent our leaders who are not females,” she said. “It empowers us to achieve what we never thought we could.”