High school seniors from throughout Kansas are in Lawrence this week to get an up-close look at how the governmental process works.

More than 400 girls are attending the 63rd annual American Legion Auxiliary Kansas Sunflower Girls State, on the campus of Kansas University.

Some of them are following in the footsteps of mothers, sisters and even grandmothers who once attended Girls State.

“I just wanted to meet different girls from around the state and to learn more about politics,” said Margaret Pendleton, 17, of Lawrence, whose sister Liz Pendleton is a previous Girls Stater. A grandmother also once attended the event, Margaret Pendleton said. “I’m really excited about it.”

Ashley Erne, 17, of Coffeyville, was preceded at Girls State by her grandmother and an aunt. But Erne said the fact that she was a third-generation member of her family to attend Girls State played only a small role in her interest.

“I wanted to learn about it and it seemed like it might be interesting,” Erne said. “You’ve got to try everything once.”

The girls apply to attend Girls State through their local American Legion auxiliaries after being recommended by their high schools. During the weeklong event they will be divided into local government entities for fictional cities or counties, run for office and hold governmental jobs. They will then deal with problems that face many governments.

Alpha Banker, center, last year's Girls State lieutenant governor, directs this year's Girls Staters on where to sign in. More than 400 girls converged on Kansas University on Sunday afternoon for this year's session.

By Sunday evening Pendleton had been named postmistress of her fictional town and was responsible for seeing that the mail got delivered. She also was entertaining thoughts of running for lieutenant governor, she said.

Erne was involved in city planning in her fictional city.

Neither Pendleton nor Erne said they knew whether they might one day run for political office.

“I’d just like to know about how our country is run and what goes on behind the screen,” Erne said.

Girls Staters will hear several speakers throughout the week, including Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger and state Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, Kansas Assistant Atty. Gen. Mary Feighny and State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins.

The girls will be kept busy with daily activities from the moment they eat breakfast at about 6:30 a.m. up to “lights out” at 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m., said Missi Schoen, a Girls State spokeswoman. Girls State ends Friday.