GRAFTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) stopped by Anna Jarvis Elementary School Tuesday afternoon to help inspire young girls in Taylor County.
Capito said she wants young girls to believe that they can do anything that they want to. “I think what you’re gonna see is West Virginia girls are gonna rise up, that’s what this program’s about and that’s why we’re here at Jarvis Elementary to talk to them,” she said.
The visit was part of the 31st “West Virginia Girls Rise Up” program, which Capito started in 2015 as a way to empower young girls across the state.
“The reason I started [this] was because I am the first woman senator ever elected from the state of West Virginia,” said Sen. Capito. “And I feel like I have a voice that I can tell young girls and college students that we can be the next leaders in this state—and I wanna see more women leaders.”
During the event, Capito took time to share with the students details about her life story and her journey to becoming a U.S. senator. She also brought the current Miss Morgantown, Sarah Lojewski, to share her personal journey about being a woman in sports.
“Whenever I was younger and in high school, I didn’t know being able to be involved within sports on an operational level—that that was an option for me,” said Lojewski.
However, when Lojewski began attending college at West Virginia University, she got the opportunity to connect with female mentors who were involved in sports organizations. This inspired Sarah to get more involved in sports, and so she wanted to participate in this event to help other young girls do the same.
“I absolutely love sports. I danced for 18 years,” said Lojewski. “I just knew I had to be involved and so, I love to get younger girls, especially younger girls involved within sports.”
One fourth grader at Anna Jarvis Elementary, Audrey Assetto said she really felt impacted by Sen. Capito and Miss Morgantown coming by to speak with her and her peers.
“I think that them being here is really, really awesome ’cause honestly, I didn’t know that you were the first female senator,” Assetto said to Capito. “And I thought that that was really cool that you came to our school.”
Capito said that a friend inspired her before with a simple expression: “If I can see you, I can be you.”
“Well now Audrey’s seen a senator that’s a woman, so now she knows she can be one too,” said Capito.