Virginia Girls State Auxiliary

TO PROVIDE YOUNG WOMEN WITH RESOURCES TO EXPERIENCE DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.

PATRIOTISM: GIRLS STATE CITIZENS GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR AMERICAN TRADITIONS AND A GREATER APPRECIATION OF OUR COUNTRY AND OUR FLAG AS WELL AS LEARN OUR GOVERNMENT PROCESSES THROUGH SIMULATED REAL LIFE INVOLVEMENT IN ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. THE EVENT HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR AND IS A STUDY OF GOVERNMENT FOR GIRLS WHO ARE RISING SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THE COST OF GIRLS STATE COMES FROM THE GIRLS PAYING THEIR OWN WAY OR BEING SPONSORED BY AN AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY UNIT OR AMERICAN LEGION POST. THE PROGRAM FEES ARE COLLECTED FROM FEBRUARY TO JUNE. THE EVENT RUNS FOR ONE WEEK EACH JUNE. MOST OF THE EXPENSES ARE PAID OUT IN JUNE AND JULY. THE LARGEST EXPENSE IS THE COST OF LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY WHERE THE EVENT IS HELD AND THIS BILL IS NOT RECEIVED UNTIL JULY OR AUGUST OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR FROM WHEN THE EVENT IS HELD. APPROXIMATELY 600 RISING HIGH-SCHOOL SENIORS ATTENDED.PARTICIPATION IN THE CITIZEN'S COMMUNITIES WHEN THE PARTICIPANT RETURNS HOME AND BEGINS A LIFE LONG COMMITMENT TO BE ACTIVE IN ALL LEVELS OF OUR GOVERNMENT. TO PRODUCE GIRLS STATE CITIZENS WITH THIS COMMITMENT OF PARTICIPATION, UNITS MUST MAKE WISE SELECTIONS OF DELEGATES, PROVIDE THEM WITH INFORMATIVE ORIENTATIONS BEFORE THE SESSION BEGINS, AND THEN GIVE THEM RECOGNITION WHEN THEY RETURN HOME.CITIZENSHIP PROVIDE RISING SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF CITIZENSHIP IN A HANDS-ON ENVIRONMENT. THE GIRLS SPEND AN INTENSIVE WEEK OF STUDY, WORKING TOGETHER AS SELF-GOVERNING CITIZENS. GIRLS STATE TEACHES YOUNG WOMEN RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP AND LOVE FOR GOD AND COUNTRY. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE GIRLS STATE PROGRAM IN 1937, NEARLY ONE MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FIRST-HAND HOW THEIR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKS.