Empire Girls State   

As we prepare for the 70^th year of Empire Girls State, an  Avalanche of ideas are being formulated for the 2011 session of Empire Girls State.  Like snowflakes that fall and land together, we are working to prepare 360 young women from across this great state to be knowledgeable, active participants and future leaders in our society.

What is Empire Girls State?  It is a hands-on, week- long educational workshop, focusing on Americanism and the political process, to better understand the workings of democratic ideals and the part individuals can play in carrying out these ideals. This program, which has been accredited by the New York State Board of Regents for inclusion in the National Program on Non-Collegiate Sponsored Instruction (National PONSI), is a non-partisan attempt to teach the love of “God and Country” to America’s youth.

Qualified high school juniors are selected to participate in creating a mythical 51^st State, from the county to the state level.  This mythical 51^st state is divided into 11 counties, named after famous women and the Citizens, assigned to either the Nationalist or Federalist Party, experience the two party system, much like our Government.  Their rigorous schedule includes participating in political campaigns, debates, and crafting bills.  As the government begins to take shape, these young women come to understand their role in a democratic society. 

During their week at Girls State, these students, under the guidance of the Department Americanism chairman, will learn proper flag etiquette, participate in and creating either a flag lowering or raising and participate in a POW-MIA Ceremony. The citizens will also receive information from the Department President on some of the programs that are important components of our organization

When is Empire Girls State - and what is the tuition?  The 2011 session of Empire Girls State is scheduled to occur from Sunday, June 26^th through Saturday July 2, 2011. This year the program will be held at SUNY Brockport which is located just outside of Rochester, NY. Tuition remains $260 for each citizen and covers their housing, food, a t-shirt, and other administrative costs associated with a successful Empire Girls State program.

The 2011 Empire Girls State 70th session promises to be an outstanding event!  By working together, we can send our citizens out into the world, well prepared and ready for the many challenges in their future!  If we can be of any assistance please feel free to contact us.  We look forward to working with you.

National-level Objectives

1. Objective: To utilize the Internet and social networking sites to increase visibility and viability of the Girls State program and obtain 2,000 Girls State Facebook fans by July 2011.

Action Steps

1. Increase the visibility of Girls State Department websites.

2. Encourage Departments to electronically keep registration info from year to year, alumnae outreach (i.e., sponsorship, guest speakers, e-mail blasts).

3. Educate Girls State Directors on using Facebook and invite previous participants to join the Girls State Facebook site.

2. Objective: To instill in all Girls State citizens a commitment of volunteerism and an awareness of The American Legion Auxiliary's mission.

Action Steps

1. Educate Girls State citizens in each Department about the programs and mission of the American Legion Auxiliary by including “Auxiliary Facts” in every Girls State program agenda.

2. Incorporate a veterans program (example: POW/MIA ceremony with table and accessories, present Blue Star Banners/Coins for those on staff and citizens who have a loved one in the military) to bring more emphasis on what we as Auxiliary members stand for.

3. Stress the importance of volunteering (example: have a field service orientation for all citizens) and giving back to the community.

4. Work with past and present alumnae to increase membership for the organization (example: e-Units, membership applications on site at Girls State).

3. Objective: Continue to attract participants and grow Girls State programs by keeping them relevant and current and by encouraging Departments to increase scholarships/funding for their Girls State

1. Encourage units to solicit sponsorships/funding or donations from other organizations to sponsor Girls State delegates.

2. Apply for grants and/or have fundraisers to increase scholarships for the citizens.

3. Work with colleges to award college credit to participants.

4. Increase networking with schools (charters, private, home-schooled) that have no active units in their communities.

5. Enlist former Girls State alumnae to help recruit candidates from their high schools.

American Legion Auxiliary 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 1 million young people have had the opportunity to learn firsthand how their state and local government works. The program has grown from a few hundred participants to nearly 20,000 annually. High school girls who have completed their junior year spend an intensive week of study, working together as self-governing citizens. These young women learn government by actually creating a mythical state through the election of public officials on local, county and state levels and then by carrying out the duties of these respective offices.

Units should make every effort to sponsor eligible young women to participate in their Department Girls State program. The unit Girls State Chairman should inform school districts and individual schools about the benefits of the program, explain the eligibility requirements and distribute information and applications to the schools.

To recruit Girls State citizens with the appropriate commitment of participation, Units must make wise selections of delegates, provide them with informative orientations before the session begins, and then give them recognition when they return home. Although Units may seek financial support from outside the Auxiliary, always remember that it is the American Legion Auxiliary that sponsors each participant and it is the Auxiliary that decides who participates.

The Samsung Group, an international electronics company, has endowed a scholarship fund of $5 million to be administered by The American Legion.

Eligibility - Student must be a high school junior and a direct descendant (i.e., child, grandchild, great-grandchild or a legally adopted child of a U.S. veteran who served during a period of war). Student must participate in and complete either an American Legion Boys State or American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program.

An application should be given to each participant in the Girls State program. Each American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program selects one application to forward to The American Legion National Headquarters. These applications become national finalists and are reviewed by the National Selection Committee each fall. National winners usually receive a $20,000 scholarship. Each national finalist will receive a $1,000 scholarship if he/she is not selected as a national scholarship winner.

Two girls are selected from each Girls State program (with the exception of Hawaii) to attend Girls Nation.

Girls Nation “senators” meet for a week in Washington, D.C., where they run for political office, campaign for the passage of legislation and possibly 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.

This year, Girls Nation will convene at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland, from July 23-30, 2011. Girls State Directors should designate two girls to represent their state as Girls Nation senators. Directors should work with their senators to help them prepare legislative initiatives to be presented at Girls Nation and to inform them about campaign rules and running for elected office.

1. www.legion-aux.org

2. www.boysandgirlsstate.org

3.   (College Credit )

4. American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Facebook

5. American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Juniors Facebook

6.  Page American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation Facebook Page

7. American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation on Twitter

See program page on www.legion-aux.org for additional resources.