American Legion Auxiliary - Department of New York
Empowering Women, Inspiring Communities

 



 

Auxiliary Emblem
at the
top left corner of all pages
is a direct link to
Nat'l ALA Headquarters

ALA
Member Benefit Opportunities

Thanks to the American Legion
for the following link.
click here  to  thank veterans
and troops on Veterans Day



Department President's Project
Send your Donations to the Department Office
Attn:
Secretary/Treasurer 
Juanita Lochner

112 State Street, Suite 1310,
Albany, NY 12207


 

                 

2008-2009

Empire Girls State

Library  

Empire Girls State has it's own website
                                                                              Created by Carrie Davenport :)

Brittany CatchPole, an 18 year old girl who was nominated to finish out a term as the Niagara County Legislator
 is an EGS Alumnae from 2010!!!
 She was the candidate from Wheatfield Unit 1451!

Click the link to read article below!
http://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/current/2011/06/09/102669/lawmaking-by-day-prom-by-night  
                                                                                                           
  Thanks to Chris LaVigne for the news! :)

EGS 2011 Session is completed
See the New Officers and Video of Installation.


Video that captures a nice overview of a week at EGS

The seeds are planted and the plans to cultivate an amazing 2012 session of Empire Girls State are underway.  As we tend to our Girls State garden we are working hard to grow our 16-17 year old young women from across this great state into knowledgeable, active participants who will blossom into our future leaders.

 What is Empire Girls State?  It is an educational Americanism program developed to offer a better perspective of the practical government operations and to emphasize the integral part that individuals have within a democratic government. This program, which has been accredited by the New York State Board of Regents for inclusion in the National College Credit Recommendation Services (National CCRS) is a non-partisan attempt to teach government, politics, and Americanism to our youth.

 Qualified high school juniors are selected to participate in a week-long, educational experience with hands-on workshops on government and the political process, designed to create a government from the county to the state level.  This mythical 51st state allows students to learn the privileges and responsibilities of Citizenship in a democratic society.  Girls State is divided into 11 counties named after famous women.  Much like our American government has two political parties, as does Girls State - Nationalists and Federalists.  Political campaigns, debates, and bills are crafted as the government begins to take shape. These young women work tirelessly throughout the week as their participation allows them a greater understanding of their role within democracy.

 With the expertise of the Department Americanism chairman, 360 High School Juniors from across the state will also learn proper flag etiquette during their week at Girls State. Students will participate in the creation and execution of either a flag lowering or raising ceremony. The citizens will also receive information on some of the programs that are important components of our organization

 When is Empire Girls State - and what is the tuition?  The 2012 session of Empire Girls State is scheduled to occur from Sunday, June 24th through Saturday June 30th, 2012. This year the program will be held at The College at Brockport which is located just outside of Rochester, NY. Due to the increasing cost of the various aspects of the program this year’s tuition will increase to $265 for each citizen.  The tuition for each citizen covers their housing, food, a t-shirt, and other administrative costs associated with the successful Empire Girls State program.

The 2012 Empire Girls State session promises to be an outstanding event!  Let’s send our Empire Girls State citizens forward, 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


Carrie Davenport, Chairman

Susan Olsen, Vice Chairman 
Ads/Boosters  

Debby Herrmann, Secretary/Registrar

180 A Prospect St 

130b Lake Ave

 7745 Grouse Road

 Fredonia, NY 14063

Ithaca, NY 14850

Springwater, NY 14560

 Email: empiregirlsstate@gmail.com
 

 Email: EGSViceChair@gmail.com
 

Email:   EGSRegistrar@gmail.com
 

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 2012.

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.

  1. 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).

  1. 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

Action Steps

  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.

Programs and Activities

Girls State Core Program

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.

 Samsung Scholarship_2011

Application  is available as a PDF file, and can be filled out using your Computer Keyboard. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file. Please read the RULES carefully, fill it out using your keyboard, and print it.
Note: After you fill out the application, (PDF format) it is suggested you print several copies, and keep one for your records. You can not save the application to your computer with your information filled out unless you have the full version of Adobe Acrobat.

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 winner usually receives a $20,000 scholarship. Each national finalist will receive a $1,000 scholarship if he/she is not selected as a national scholarship winner.

Girls Nation

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 TBA. 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.

Resources

  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. 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.

   

Purchase an AD in the 2012- Empire Girls State Year Book. The photos will illustrate a week at "Empire Girls State." Click on forms listed below for instructions on placing an order!

1. EGS Boosters & AD's Pg. 1 and 2  

Resources & Forms

College Credits PDF
Counselor Application Form PDF
County Chairman's Responsibilities
County Quota Form PDF 
County_Report_Forms  PDF  ç
Girls State Brochure  ç
Housemother Application Form PDF 
Interview Tips PDF ç
Need A Lift  PDF (College Info) ç
Nurse- Application Form PDF
Samsung Scholarship  PDF
Application  
Timeline-of-Due-Dates

Top_Ten_List_EGS_Facts)Changes
Unit Chairman's Responsibilities
Unit Report Form  ç

ç(link not available at this time)

Planning and Orientation Guide will be distributed  to the EGS Citizens at their individual Orientations.


DEPARTMENT AWARD

KATHRYN O. JOHNSON AWARD

To the County reporting the best Orientation Program for the Empire Girls State Citizens. The following rules apply to this award:
Report is to be in narrative form, not to exceed 1,000 words.
Pictures, press clippings and samples or copies of materials used for the Orientation may be included.

Entry cover sheet to include:

  1. Name of County

  2. Empire Girls State, County Chairman’s Name and Address

  3. County membership

  4. Number of words                                          

Deadline for Award: June 17, 2012
Send Entries to: Empire Girls State Chairman
, Carrie Davenport, Chairman. For physical address, contact Chairman or  Department Office 

REPORTING PROCEDURE:  Note, there are only two reporting dates this year.  Reporting-How-When-Why

Unit Chairmen:  Please send Unit reports to reach your County Chairman by November 1, 2011, and March 1, 2012

County Chairmen:  Please send County reports to reach the Dept. Chairman by November 10, 2011, and March 10, 2012

Note: Forms are in PDF Format Download Adobe Acrobat Reader free and can be filled out using your computer keyboard. However, you cannot save data typed into any  forms unless you have the Full Version of  Adobe Acrobat software! Please print at least 2 copies of your completed form, mail one to the chairman, and save one for your records. If you try to e-mail it without the Full Version of  Adobe Acrobat software, the chairman will receive a BLANK PAGE...

Carrie Davenport, Chairman
E-mail: 
empiregirlsstate@gmail.com

NOTE: For Chairman's physical address, contact chairman  or  Department Office 

Video about The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State
and The American Legion Boys State


SCHOLARSHIPS

Education Week

     

Department Office
Telephone:
 1-800-421-6348 (518) 463-1162   FAX: 518-449-5406
112 State Street, Suite 1310, Albany, NY 12207
Secretary/Treasurer Juanita Lochner

 

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