I Want In!
Selection Criteria
Girls are eligible to attend Girls State if they meet the following criteria:
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they have completed their junior year in high school
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they are interested in government and current events
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they have high moral character
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they have strong leadership abilities
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they have an above-average scholastic standing
Girls State Delegates are a diverse group of women who share a common desire to learn. From small towns to urban areas, the delegates' different backgrounds add spirit to the program.
Selection of Girls State Citizens
It is recommended that the selection of girls be made in each case by a committee, consisting of the high school principal or counselor, unit president, and the Girls State chairman, in addition to the head of any other organization sponsoring the citizens. A statement to be signed by the president of the sponsoring unit and high school principal, certifying that qualifications and requirements have been met, will be required for each girl selected. Girls State is intended for the most outstanding girls, from the standpoint of leadership, character, and scholarship in high schools. Only those girls who will enthusiastically devote their FULL TIME to increasing their knowledge, while at the same time advancing the whole Girls State Program, should be chosen.
Sponsorship
Girls will be accepted for enrollment when sponsored directly by a unit of the American Legion Auxiliary or approved by a unit for sponsorship by another organization. Every unit of the American Legion Auxiliary in Georgia is urged to sponsor one or more citizens to Girls State. It is expected that most of the citizens will be sponsored by units. However, sponsorship of some citizens by civic, fraternal, and patriotic organizations is highly encouraged, provided the citizens are enrolled through a local unit. Any organization wishing to sponsor one or more citizens should contact the president or Girls State Chairman of the unit. Likewise, units are encouraged to contact community organizations most likely to sponsor a citizen. All organizations paying citizens registration fees will be listed as sponsors, and they will receive recognition for full participation in the program. All citizens sponsored by organizations other than units will be selected in the same manner as those sponsored by Auxiliary units. Enrollment is limited. Therefore, Auxiliary units and other organizations desiring to sponsor citizens should make plans early to do so, sending fees at the earliest convenient date.
Registration Information
Applications are complete by May 15, 2024. The registration fee of $350.00 is to be paid by April 20, 2023. If a unit has not selected the girls it intends to send by April 20th, the registration fees for the number of girls to be sponsored may be sent. It is imperative to get girls registered online before school is out for summer because the school has a section to fill out online.
Arrival and Departure
Citizens must report to the campus of Valdosta State University between 1:00 and 3:00 PM on Sunday, June 9 and they will depart on Friday, June 14 at 1:00 PM. Graduation is June 14, 2024, at 8:45 AM (doors open at 8:15 AM).
Guests are invited. The sponsoring American Legion Auxiliary Unit is responsible for arranging transportation. Some units require parents to provide transportation.