Girls State

Girls State is a nonpartisan program that teaches young women responsible citizenship and love for God and Country. Since the inception of the Girls State program in 1937, nearly one million young women have had the opportunity to learn first-hand how their state and local government works. High school girls, having completed their junior year spend an intensive week of study, working together as self-governing citizens at Auxiliary sponsored Girls State programs in every state. They learn how to participate in the functioning of their state's government in preparation for their future roles as responsible adult citizens.

The purpose of Girls State is to provide citizenship training for girls of high school age; to inform them about the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of American citizenship, in order that they may understand and participate in the functioning of their government; and to help them grasp them meaning of some of the responsibilities which they must assume when they become adults.

Two girls are selected from each Girls State program to attend Girls Nation, a national government training program. Girls Nation "senators" meet for a week in Washington, D.C., where they run for political office, campaign for the passage of legislation and meet with state Representatives and Senators. Capping off the week of Girls Nation is a meeting with the President of the United States at The White House.