Virginia Girls State is a program of American Legion Auxiliary
Virginia Girls State is a program of the ALA, a community service organization. For over 100 years the ALA has served the needs of our nation’s veterans, military, and their families — both here and abroad.
The 2027 ALA Virginia Girls State program will be held on the campus of Longwood University from Sunday, June 20 to Friday, June 25, 2027. All delegates must arrive by 3:00pm on Sunday, June 20th. The program ends on Friday at 3:00pm. Delegates MUST stay until 3 on Friday for program credit.
The goal of Girls State is to teach rising high school seniors the responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society. The program is is an interactive experience. We welcome students from Virginia’s public and private high schools to apply as well as homeschool students. Read the eligibility requirements found here.
I encourage you to review the website materials before applying. Review the sample schedule to understand the rigor of Girls State.
Cheryl Shine, 2027 Director
Virginia Girls State
American Legion Auxiliary
Email: director@vagirlsstate.org
Important Information
Program dates: Sunday, June 20 – Friday, June 25, 2027.
All delegates must arrive no later than 3:00pm on Sunday, June 20. Notify the director if your daughter will be arriving after 3.
The program ends Friday, June 25 at 3:00pm. Delegates MUST stay until 3 on Friday for program credit. Please check your schedule before applying.
District registrars, follow up with your delegate(s) to ensure they have received and completed the online forms.
Delegates, upon selection complete the online registration. Access is made available beginning in March. Online health forms and additional documents will be sent in May. These must be completed by June 1, 2027.
The theme of the 80th Session is Be a Beacon in Your Communities.
Program Description
Within Virginia, for one week each year, a new state comes into being. The physical boundaries are the limits of a college campus, but there are no limits to its usefulness in promoting real-life citizenship in Virginia.
Since the inception of the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program in 1937, nearly one million young women have had the opportunity to learn firsthand how their state and local governments work.
This adventure in Americanism is sponsored annually by the American Legion Auxiliary with the cooperation of many civic clubs, school groups, and community-minded businesses.
Through the program, the American Legion Auxiliary educates young citizens to realize they are an essential part of government and are responsible for its character and success. We seek to teach individual responsibility to the community, the state, and to the nation.
Eligibility Requirements
Candidates for Virginia Girls State are chosen through an interview process conducted by your local American Legion Auxiliary Unit. Candidates are evaluated based on their leadership abilities, interest in government, service to others, and academics.
Only young women who have completed their junior year of high school and have at least one semester of high school remaining are eligible to participate.
Public school, private school, and homeschooled students are eligible to attend ALA Virginia Girls State. For homeschool students, the teaching parent must be educating under the Commonwealth of Virginia Guidelines for homeschooling.
Participants must be United States citizens or legal residents of the United States. Proof of legal status are:
- A birth certificate certified by a State Bureau of Vital Statistics
- A court-certified copy of legal adoption papers showing place and date of birth
- A state-issued driver’s license or state-issued (ID) card that is in compliance with the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109—13, 119 Stat.302
- A government-issued passport with proper endorsement for visiting the United States
- A U. S. government-issued military ID card or dependent ID card
In case of foreign birth, a potential participant may present any certificate or document duly issued to the bearer by the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, such as a NEXUS card.
For more information contact your District Registrar.
Application Process
Delegates are selected by local units of the American Legion Auxiliary whenever possible. Each ALA local unit determines its own process for selecting delegates and contacts the high schools in its area. If your school hasn’t been contacted by a representative from the ALA District or a local unit then you may follow the steps below for help with the application process.
- Using the map below, locate your hometown or high school to determine your district.
- Contact the registrar of your district via email for the assistance with the application process.
- Online registration will open in Spring 2027. Information will be shared with paid registrations.
| First & Second | Anne Starke | tannestarke@msn.com |
| Third | Elizabeth Ferrell | eferrell_ala368@aol.com |
| Fourth | Elizabeth Shepherd | elshep99@gmail.com |
| Fifth & Sixth | Erika Evans | registrar5and6@gmail.com |
| Seventh & Eighth | Emily Hall Gregory | erh4ala@gmail.com |
| Ninth & Tenth | Emily Hall Gregory | erh4ala@gmail.com |
| Eleventh | TBD | director@vagirlsstate.org |
| Twelfth | Lisa Heitmeyer | mkgirl4life@gmail.com |
| Thirteenth | Ruthann Brown | rsk8mom@aol.com |
| Fourteenth & Fifteenth | Darla Lisbon | darla22657@yahoo.com |
| Sixteenth | Jennifer Lowe | jenn260@gmail.com |
| Seventeenth | Mandy Moore | district17vagirlsstate@yahoo.com |
Proud Sponsors of ALA Virginia Girls State
The American Legion Auxiliary extends gratitude for all of the private donations and sponsors that make Virginia Girls State possible.
ALA Virginia Girls State Angels
- Colonel Thomas J. Cunningham Jr. Division, Ancient Order of Hibernians in America
- Joanne Alberico
- Joe & Cheryl Shine
- Joe & Judy Gallagher, Aging Assurances Senior Advisors LLC
- Marilyn Butters
- Sandi Gauthier
- Shelia Sharp
- Unit 49
- Unit 176
- Unit 175
- Unit 1995
- Unit 180
We proudly wear these gems.
Delegate registration cannot be paid using the early-bird payment option until you are chosen as a delegate and your delegate fees are paid to the District Registrar.