ALA Iowa Girls State

Iowa

Girls 

State 

Sponsored by The American Legion Auxiliary of Iowa

Welcome to

American Legion Auxiliary

  Iowa Girls State 

The 2024 Session of

American Legion Auxiliary

  Iowa Girls State

will be held  June 16-21, 2024 at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa

ALA Iowa Girls State is one of the premier programs sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and was started by a dream of four women over 75 years ago in hopes of teaching young women about the political process. Girls State is a “learning by doing” program, which takes the girls through the entire political process.

It covers city government which is non-partisan in Iowa. Each citizen is assigned to a floor, which is her city for the week. Early in the week, the girls elect their mayors and city councils, transact city business, pass city ordinances and work on a city project for judging later. They are also divided into political parties and campaign to get their parties candidates elected and create party loyalty. By the end of the week, they have elected county and state officials. On Friday evening, Inauguration is held which includes the closing of the final joint session of the House and Senate and the installation of the Governor and her officials.  Scholarships and merit awards are presented and the ALA Girls Nation Senators are announced.

What else happens? During the week, the American Legion Auxiliary President speaks about the various Auxiliary programs and there are several speakers on a variety of subjects. The presiding ALA Girls State Governor opens and closes each day’s session and there are several activities throughout the week such as daily flag raising and lowering and a candle-lighting ceremony.   ALA Iowa Girls State also has a store which stocks items such as apparel, notebooks, and fun items.

Girls State Citizens must be between their junior and senior year of high school and are selected by their local American Legion Auxiliary Unit. The Unit pays the $400 fee although the girls state attendee is encouraged to repay the $50 registration fee to the local Unit.

The week at ALA Iowa Girls State is jam packed from dawn to dusk and promises to be a week you’ll never forget!

Unit Reservations

Iowa Girls State will be using the Campwise program for registration. Click here for instructions.

 

 

Units will not need to pay until citizens are registered.

Citizen Registration Opens

Citizen Registration Opens  January 1st.  The code will be emailed to the Unit Chairman on or around December 15th .  Please keep that email!

Citizen Registration Closes

March 31, 2024

Last day for citizens to register for Iowa Girls State.

Unit Payment Deadline

April 15, 2024

Unpaid registrations will NOT be included in the roster, will NOT be included in dorm registrations, and will not be acccepted at Girls State.