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A strong leader knows how to be an active and empathetic listener, and it seems that Makiah White has shown all the markings of a great leader this summer.

White was Lanett High’s senior representative at the Alabama Girls State at Troy University this year. The program is a week-long, hands-on crash course into the structure of local and state government and politics.

“I was excited to go, I thought it’d be interesting. Politics wasn’t really something I was, like, passionate about or anything,” White said.

Though it wasn’t something she had thought about much before, White said the experience was enlightening and she could see how a person could make a difference in local politics.

White also ran for her county’s probate judge position and won. Each student that won a race had to give a speech.

“It got me out of my shell with giving speeches and stuff like that,” she said.

The program is a week-long residence on Troy University’s campus. White said she enjoyed getting to see into what campus life will look like before she goes off to college in a few years.

Not only that but meeting so many other kids from all around Alabama was a great way to network.

“And I met some really, really cool people,” she said. “This one girl had her own nonprofit for mental health awareness.”

Though she was not interested in politics until later in life, White said she did take away some insights from the program that got her even more excited about her main interest. After high school, she wants to pursue a psychology degree.

“I do truly enjoy helping people. And I just feel like the way the mind works is just so captivating,” White said. “The brain, it controls so many different things.”

“It’s a field that keeps growing, especially like sports psychology,” she said.

When answering questions during the whistlestop exercise or debating real-world issues, White said she enjoyed hearing from her cohorts.

“You see that people think differently, and you gain a new perspective on different things, maybe an idea that you’ve never thought of,” she said.

White said she was often surprised by the way some people thought and the different solutions they came up with.

In fact, there was something interesting to do every day, White said. There was a House of Representatives and a Senate.

Each day, the students attended sessions, voted on bills and had debates.

“It was [good] to get a lot of experience if you’re interested in politics, and it definitely helped me see it in a new light,” White said.

At Lanett High School, White serves as class president and is in Beta Club and the society bulletin board committee.

She was the vice president in FCCLA last year. She is also the varsity basketball captain and varsity volleyball captain.

“I don’t want to let anyone down,” she said. “I want to see everyone be the best that they can be. And so I feel like if I can be the best person that I can be, then other people will want to be their best selves when they’re around me.”