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Southampton Town Justice Barbara Wilson was one of approximately 20 female elected officials from the East End to take part in the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons' "Running and Winning" workshop. Photos by Kelly Carroll

Southampton - Thirty-four young woman from local high schools got the opportunity to sit down with women in government on Thursday, May 21, as part of the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons' "Running and Winning" workshop at the Southampton Cultural Center.

Students presented their speeches to a room full of participants and elected officials.

Approximately 20 women currently holding an elected seat in local town and village governments across the South Fork gathered to share with the girls their own personal experiences of gaining office and serving in a governmental post. Participants included Southampton Town Supervisor Linda Kabot, North Haven Mayor Laura Nolan and Sagaponack Village Deputy Mayor Lee Foster.

The day began as the girls were given the opportunity to interview the local officials in small, informal groups. The girls were then broken up into sections to plan a campaign - complete with slogan and candidate - on what types of alternative energy they would propose for Long Island. The chosen candidates presented speeches on behalf of their group, and the girls were also asked to describe what kind of fundraising they would create to get their candidate elected.

"I'm ready to vote for every single person who came up here," laughed former Southampton Town Councilwoman Roberta Hunter as she addressed the crowd at the end of the day. Borrowing a quote from one of the day's candidates, she continued, "to hear the young woman speak today of 'not inheriting the land from our parents but borrowing it from our children' is certainly wonderful."

Participants in the day's festivities included juniors and seniors - and one freshman - from the Bridgehampton School, East Hampton High School, Hampton Bays High School, Pierson, Ross School, Southampton High School and Westhampton Beach High School.