TYLER COUNTY, W.Va. — Students and staff at Sistersville Elementary School welcomed State Senator Shelley Moore-Caputo for a tour of the school and County’s first West Virginia Girls Rise Up Event on Thursday morning.
“I talk to the 4th and 5th grade girls about leadership, about being healthy, good study habits, and self-confidence so that they will be the leaders of tomorrow,” Capito said.
Capito was led by members of the student council to meet with teachers and get a look at life for students at Sistersville Elementary before beginning the presentation.
“I do this because I’m the first woman senator, and I thought I want to inspire that next generation of young girls to be leaders in the country and the state or in their local communities,” she said.
This is Capito’s 16th Girls Rise Up event throughout the state.
She says now more than ever, it’s important for young girls to take on leadership roles.
“We just had an election, and I think we have historic numbers of women who were elected to the U.S. Congress and it starts young,” Capito said. “You have to start young to get them interested, to give them the confidence and the interest in to wanting to make a difference, and to serve, and part of that is seeing someone who’s doing it and talking about what it’s like.”
Capito hopes to continue inspiring young girls with similar events.