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American Legion Auxiliary Girls State and Girls Nation

American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Girls State gives students a week to learn about and run a mock state and local government. California sends only 1 delegate per high school, and each state program then sends 2 students to Girls Nation in Washington.

Any status, must study in the US
Free

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Size and selectivity1 per school in California

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Eligibility: Any status, must study in the US
Cost: Free
Latest deadline: TBA

Girls State at a Glance

Host: American Legion Auxiliary (ALA); the California program, ALA California Girls State, is run by its Department of California and is separate from the American Legion's California Boys & Girls State
Field: State and local government, elections and civic leadership
Grades and age: The California program is for juniors (the 2026 session took students who were juniors in 2025–26), selected during junior year to attend that summer. Girls Nation is for students entering senior year
Citizenship and residency: Delegates are sponsored by a local Auxiliary Unit and selected with their school; students at schools without a sponsoring Unit can apply as statewide alternates. Female students, students who identify as female and gender non-conforming students are welcome. The official pages we read do not state a citizenship or permanent residency requirement; confirm with the local Unit. A student may apply to only one of California's two programs.
Cost: The history page says a Unit pays $425 to sponsor each delegate. The official pages we read do not mention other fees for the student; follow the sponsoring Unit's instructions.
Dates and format: The California program is one week and has been held at Sacramento State since 2022; the 83rd session ran June 22–27, 2026, and 2027 dates have not been announced. Girls Nation meets in Washington, July 18–25 in 2026; participants, called senators, submit and debate bills and elect a president and vice president during the week.
Application dates: Each Unit sets its own selection process and timing, and there is no common deadline. Interested juniors should contact their school counselor or local Unit early in the school year.
Application materials: Each Unit decides how to select; applications, essays and interviews are common. Each school gets 1 delegate, a first alternate and a second alternate.
Size and selectivity: California takes only 1 delegate per high school. The official FAQ notes that even at the pre-pandemic size of 540 delegates, only 18.6% of the state's schools would be represented; the site also describes the week as serving over 500 participants. Each state program sends 2 students to Girls Nation.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-06 · legion-aux.org/ALA-Girls-State

About Girls State

American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Girls State is held in each state. Students are assigned to mock cities and two mock parties, run for state and local offices, and operate a mock government for a week. ALA California Girls State began in 1940 and has been held at Sacramento State since 2022; the 83rd session ran June 22–27, 2026.

California sends only 1 delegate per high school, chosen by a local Unit together with the school, usually through applications, essays and interviews. The program notes that even at the pre-pandemic size of 540 delegates, only 18.6% of the state’s schools would be represented. The Unit pays $425 to sponsor each delegate. The official pages we read state no citizenship requirement.

Each state program sends 2 students to Girls Nation in Washington, held July 18–25 in 2026; more than 7,500 students have attended since it began in 1947. Only ALA California Girls State participants can represent California; the coed California Boys & Girls State does not offer that route.

How to Apply to Girls State

Places are allotted by school, with 1 delegate each. Early in junior year, ask the counselor which Unit sponsors the school and how selection worked in past years, so the school's internal process is not missed.
Units commonly use applications, essays and interviews. Prepare specific service and leadership examples and your views on state and local government issues.
If Girls Nation is the goal, only ALA California Girls State participants can be chosen to represent California; the coed California Boys & Girls State does not offer that route.

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Girls State: Frequently Asked Questions

How does a high school girl in Irvine apply to California Girls State?

Delegates are chosen by a local Auxiliary Unit together with the school, with 1 delegate per high school. An Irvine student can ask the school counselor in junior year how selection works; if the school has no sponsoring Unit yet, she can apply as a statewide alternate.

How is ALA California Girls State different from California Boys & Girls State?

They are run by different organizations and are not affiliated. ALA California Girls State is for girls (including students who identify as female and gender non-conforming students), and only its participants can be chosen as California's Girls Nation senators. California Boys & Girls State has been coed since 2023, but its female participants cannot go on to Girls Nation or Boys Nation. An Irvine girl may apply to only one of the two.

How many students from each Irvine high school can attend California Girls State?

Each high school sends 1 delegate, plus a first and second alternate. The program explains that the limit lets more schools take part: even at the pre-pandemic size of 540 delegates, only 18.6% of the state's schools would be represented.

Does California Girls State cost anything?

The history page says a Unit pays $425 to sponsor each delegate. The official pages we read do not mention other fees for the student; follow the sponsoring Unit's instructions.

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Sources7 sources · checked 2026-10-06

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