Senator Shelley Moore Capito visited Braxton County Middle School Thursday as part of her “West Virginia Girls Rise Up” initiative where she gave a pep talk to the school’s sixth-grade girls with the goal of encouraging them to think about their future, have confidence, and set big goals.
12 News spoke with student Emily Short, who said she wanted to someday go to school to become a therapist. Short said that she appreciated the senator’s visit and that it reminded the students at the school that “they can do whatever they want if they put their mind to it.”
Senator Capito wanted to remind the students that public service is also an option for them and that can help bring about change in their communities. In her talk, Senator Capito brought up the disparity between the number of male and female senators in Washington. Capito is West Virginia’s first female senator.
“I just want to see West Virginia girls be the next leaders and that’s what this program is all about,” Capito said.
Braxton County’s State Delegate Lori Dittman, who is also a teacher at Braxton County Middle School, stopped by on Wednesday to give some words of encouragement.