Harlan

ELKINS – Earning trips to different parts of the United States for her accomplishments is nothing new for Elkins High School student Juliann Harlan.

Harlan, who will be a senior at EHS in the upcoming school year, recently took part in Rhododendron Girls State, held at Davis & Elkins College. After attending the week-long leadership academy, Harlan was chosen with one other girl to represent West Virginia at American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation.

“Juliann is going to be heading to Washington D.C. for Girls Nation and we couldn’t be prouder of her,” said Elkins American Legion District Chairman Donnie Lambert. “Her and another girl, Ella Wheeler, will be representing West Virginia along with girls from the 54 other American Legion departments.”

American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation is a week-long event that gives participants first-hand experience and practical insight into how the federal government works. More than 7,500 students have gone through Girls Nation since it was founded in 1947.

The participants are known as “senators” and participate in a mock legislature. They are responsible for submitting bills and resolutions, participating in senate sessions, and electing officials such as president and vice president. The senators will also participate in field trips to Capitol Hill, historical Washington monuments, and Arlington National Cemetery.

“As senators, the girls will sit in on their own senate meetings, pass bills, resolutions and things of that sort,” Lambert said. “I think it will be a good thing for Juliann since she’s done so well with the Oratorical Contest the last three years and the other things she is involved with, such as speech and debate at Elkins High School and everything else that she does.”

“As far as I’m aware, she is the first girl from Elkins to be chosen to go to Girls Nation,” Lambert said. “There’s only one boy that I know of that has been selected for Elkins to go to Boys Nation and that was Keaton Cooper about 10 years ago. To be only one of two girls selected from 200 girls participating in Girls State is quite an accomplishment.”

Harlan recently competed in the National Oratorical Contest in Michigan after winning a third-consecutive American Legion Department of West Virginia Oratorical title this year.

“She was at the National Oratorical again last month and the fact that she has now won the state Oratorical for three years in a row is very impressive,” Lambert said. “We are extremely proud of all her accomplishments.”

Last year Harlan was accepted into the prestigious United States Senate Youth Program. Harlan was just one of 104 students across America that was selected to the program, and one of two from West Virginia.

In 2025, she was also selected as the top essay award winner for the 2025 America’s Field Trip Contest, a national competition held to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Harlan was rewarded with an all-expense paid trip to Texas for the essay win, and received a $1,000 scholarship for her teacher, Amanda Sacks.

Harlan’s goal after high school is to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and pursue a degree in political science.