9/22/25:  UPDATE FOR THE 2026 AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY GIRLS STATE PROGRAM.  At this time, American Legion Auxiliary units in District 13 (Santa Clara County) ARE participating in the Girls State Program, held in Sacramento, because we have enough staffing.  We plan to sponsor one junior class girl from one to three schools located in the City of Santa Clara or surrounding area in Santa Clara County.  We only choose one girl to represent her school.

There is also an opportunity for girls to apply to the Legion's Boys & Girls State program, which was modified in 2023 to accept Girls (separate dorms at colleges in Sacramento).  To see if there is a Legion program near your school, please contact Jeff Rose / jeffarose11@gmail.com / 408-489-1968.   

We encourage girls to apply for the Auxiliary program when it becomes available in the Spring for good reason.  The reason is although the two programs are similar, girls attending the revised Legion Boys & Girls State program do not have the opportunity at this time to advance to the national level of either Legion's Boys & Girls Nation or the Auxiliary's Girls Nation.  Girls attending the Auxiliary's Girls State program DO have the ability to advance to the Auxiliary Girls Nation program.  This may be resolved in the future and was an unintended consequence caused initially by State legislation in 2023, and the Legion's changes to their program to accept girls due to legislation.

Please read on for more information and timelines about the Auxiliary's Girls State Program.

The California Auxiliary Girls State program is held in Sacramento in June each year where over 500 girls have the opportunity to represent their school and participate in a mock government.  The girls learn about the political process by selecting officials for all levels of state and local government among their peers and actively running a mock government. The art of civil debate is one of the main skills learned at this premier program. 

Auxiliary Santa Clara Unit 419 sponsors a few local and nearby schools in Santa Clara County.  The process begins with the Auxiliary deciding in October which schools we will be able to sponsor in our community.  After we contact the chosen schools in early spring, then school counselors will suggest to us a number of 11th grade students for our interviews in March.  Sometimes, students will contact us directly, but offering the program depends on which schools the Auxiliary is able to offer the program due to our staffing resources.

In April, we typically hold online interviews of 3-4 girls suggested by counselors.  We select only one girl (delegate) from each school located in or near Santa Clara, CA.  The Delegate we choose is an 11th grade student during the school year and is selected and sponsored by our Auxiliary.  There can be only one Delegate per high school.  The Auxiliary works with school staff to select a Delegate, 1st Alternate, and 2nd Alternate to represent the school.  All references to “women, girls or female” include gender-expansive individuals.  Please contact us at alaunit419santaclara@gmail.com about the schools we sponsor.  

Differences in "State" programs.  The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary are two separate organizations.  In each "State" program, attendees have a chance to run for office at city, county, and state mock government levels.  

Due to changes in 2023, the California Auxiliary Girls State program is now held in Sacramento but at a different campus and on a different week in June than the Legion's program.  The California Legion Boys & Girls State program is now co-ed, but the Auxiliary's Girls State remains only for girls.  The other difference is the "Nation" program eligibility.  Only boys attending the California Legion's Boys & Girls State program are eligible, if selected, to attend Boys Nation (the Legion's national program); and only girls attending the California Auxiliary Girls State program may be eligible, if selected, to attend Girls Nation (the Auxiliary's national program).  By having the co-ed  Legion's Boys & Girls State program, both boys and girls are eligible to attend a State program at schools where there are not enough resources for both programs.  Again, the only difference is the "Nation" program eligibility.  Only girls attending the Auxilitary Girls State Program are eligible to be selected to attend the Girls Nation Program.

It is important for you to note the differences before a girl decides to apply to the Auxiliary Girls State or the Legion Boys & Girls State programs.  You may apply for only one program.  Visit FAQs on the California Girls State website.

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Read below the line for the history of Girls State and how students are selected; and check out the Girls State brochure and a past Girls State newsletter written by attendees. 

Since 1937, American Legion Auxiliary units in all 50 states proudly host ALA Girls State. The program is designed to increase awareness and knowledge of governmental processes while teaching young women about the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  California Girls State is held for a week in June every year in Sacramento (since 2022), and is attended by students representing their high school as delegates. This program will likely be different from any other program you have attended in the past. In most cases, expenses associated with attending this program are paid by a sponsoring Auxiliary unit, a local business or another community-based organization. Delegates are responsible for their travel expenses, but a grant may be available for those in need.