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 several local and nearby schools in the county.  Each Delegate 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.  The differences in the program are location and eligibility for the different "State" and "Nation" programs as follows.  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. 

It is important 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.