Girls Nation is an annual civic training program run by the

American Legion Auxiliary The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) is a separate entity from the American Legion that shares the same values. Composed of spouses, mothers, daughters, granddaughters, and sisters of American war veterans. Founded in 1919, the ALA is dedicated to ...

.{{cite web, last=American Legion Auxiliary , title=What We Do , url=http://www.alaforveterans.org/what_we_do/ala_girls_nation/Pages/default.aspx , work=American Legion Auxiliary website , accessdate=17 August 2012 , url-status=dead , archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729155611/http://www.alaforveterans.org/what_we_do/ala_girls_nation/Pages/default.aspx , archivedate=29 July 2012 It is analogous to

Boys Nation Boys Nation is an annual forum concerning civic training, government, leadership, and Americanism that is run by the American Legion. One hundred Boys Nation Senators are chosen from a pool of over 20,000 Boys State participants, making it one o ...

. The first American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation was held August 9-August 14, 1947, with 82 girls and 41 states participating. It has been held each year subsequently. In order to attend the event, participating

Girls State The American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State are summer leadership and citizenship programs for high school juniors, which focus on exploring the mechanics of American government and politics. The programs are sponsor ...

sessions select two participants to represent the state at Girls Nation. It, much like Girls State, is a "hands on" election simulation, only focusing on federal government rather than state government. These representatives, the Girls Nation " senators," are divided into two political parties. The parties do not reflect the two major political parties in today's system, but allow citizens to gain a special knowledge of how the system works. Girls Nation is funded by the national organization of the Auxiliary, with some support from each participating state. Little or no expense is required of the representative or her family. The Auxiliary has been recognized many times by

Freedoms Foundation The Freedoms Foundation is an American non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian educational organization, founded in 1949. The foundation is located adjacent to the Valley Forge National Historical Park, near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Bill of R ...

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania The Village of Valley Forge is an unincorporated settlement located on the west side of Valley Forge National Historical Park at the confluence of Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania. The remaining village is in Schuylkill Tow ...

and the

National Association of Secondary School Principals The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is a national organization of and voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 ...

(NASSP) for outstanding Girls State and Girls Nation programs. It has also been recognized through the media in " Career World" magazine,

WAM! Starz Encore is an American premium television channel owned by Starz Inc. a subsidiary of Lions Gate Entertainment and headquartered at the Meridian International Business Center complex in Meridian, Colorado, United States. Launched as Encore ...

, Children's Television Network ( Encore Media Corporation), and many newspapers. The delegates of Girls Nation, alongside the American Legion's Boys Nation delegates, are additionally given the opportunity to meet the president as well as other House Representatives and Senators during their week long program. At this point in time, 100 girls attend Girls Nation. Hawaii began participation in Girls Nation in 2016.

Program Goals

The official goals of the program are to * Develop leadership and pride in American citizens; * Educate participants about the American system of government; * Instill in participants a greater understanding of American traditions; * Stimulate a desire to maintain American government processes.

References

American Legion Educational organizations based in the United States Youth organizations established in 1947 1947 establishments in the United States