What Is Boys State?
It is a program of government instruction that the American Legion has run since 1935. The Legion describes it as among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U.S. high school students, and as a participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county, and state government.
Two Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, organized the first session at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Programs now exist in all Legion departments in the United States except Hawaii. Each state program is a separate corporation, so content and procedure differ from state to state, and all of them teach government from the township to the state level.
What Happens at Boys State?
Students run a mock state. The Legion says the program is operated by students elected to various offices, and that the training is objective and centers on the structure of city, county, and state governments.
The activities the Legion lists are legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, choruses, and recreational programs. A participant can campaign for office, draft and debate bills, or serve in a court. What a student takes from the program depends on how much of that the student chooses to do.
Who Is Eligible and How Are Students Selected?
Legion posts select high school juniors to attend. The Legion’s recommended guidelines, used by most state programs, add three points. A student who has attended before cannot attend a second session. Only students who illustrate leadership, character, scholarship, loyalty, and service in their schools and community should be considered. Merit and ability are the basis for evaluation.
The selection process differs by state. The method the Legion calls ideal is for schools to recommend lists of eligible candidates to local posts, which then interview the candidates and select their representatives. Most programs also require a medical and parental consent certificate.
In practice this means the school counselor is the first person to ask. Where a school does not take part, the Legion directs students to contact the program in their state.
How Much Does Boys State Cost?
For most participants the answer is nothing. The Legion states that in most cases individual expenses are paid by a sponsoring post, a local business, or another community-based organization.
That sets the program apart from fee-based summer leadership conferences, where any student whose family pays can attend. Our guides to the National Student Leadership Conference and the National Youth Leadership Forum explain how admissions readers view those programs.
What Is Boys Nation?
Boys Nation is the national program in Washington. Two representatives from each of the 49 state programs attend, which makes 98 students a year by Oriel Admissions calculation. A student must take part in the state program to be eligible.
| Feature | State program | Boys Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Government studied | City, county, and state | Federal |
| Who attends | High school juniors selected by Legion posts | Two representatives from each of the 49 state programs |
| First held | 1935, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield | August 1946, at American University in Washington |
| Role of the student | Citizen or elected official of a mock state | Senator from the student’s state |
At Boys Nation, each delegate acts as a senator. The delegates organize into committees, hold hearings on bills, and elect a president and vice president. The week also includes visits to federal agencies and memorials, and meetings on Capitol Hill with elected officials from each student’s home state.
How Do Colleges View Boys State?
Admissions readers at selective colleges know the program and know that students are chosen for it. Oriel Admissions rates attendance at Boys State as a solid recognition at the school and community level. Election to a statewide office at the program, or selection for Boys Nation, is a stronger distinction because far fewer students reach it.
The program carries the most weight when it fits the rest of the application. A student interested in government, law, or public policy can connect it to debate, a campaign, or a law internship, and can continue that work in senior year. Our guides to extracurricular activity tiers and leadership in extracurricular activities show how readers rank activities.
It does not replace the academic record. For Ivy League admission, a student needs nearly all As in the hardest classes the school offers, and activities are read after that standard is met.
Oriel Admissions advises listing the program in the activities section with any office held, and listing selection for Boys Nation in the honors section. Our guide to the Common App honors section covers the wording.
Is There a Scholarship for Participants?
Yes, for some. The Samsung American Legion Scholarship is limited to students between their junior and senior years who attend the current session of the Legion program or the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program, and who are direct descendants of an eligible wartime U.S. military veteran.
Ten National Scholars receive $10,000 each, ten National Runners-Up receive $5,000 each, and the remaining Department Finalists receive $1,250 each. The application must be submitted before 11:59 PM local time on the first day of the student’s program, so an eligible student should gather the veteran’s service documents well in advance.
When Should a Student Start the Process?
A student should start early in junior year. Deadlines are set by each state program and each post, and the Legion publishes dates and contact details for every state.
A sophomore can prepare by asking the counselor how the school chooses its candidates and what the local post looks for. A junior who is nominated should expect an interview and be ready to speak about an interest in government and a record of service. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a separate but similar program for young women, called Girls State. Sophomores who want a selected leadership program a year earlier can ask the counselor about a HOBY nomination.
Frequently Asked Questions About Boys State
It is an American Legion program, founded in 1935, in which high school juniors run mock city, county, and state governments.
Legion posts select high school juniors who show leadership, character, scholarship, loyalty, and service. A student who has attended before cannot attend a second session.
In most cases a sponsoring Legion post, a local business, or another community organization pays the expenses of the student.
The process differs by state. The method the American Legion calls ideal is for schools to recommend candidates to local posts, which interview them and select representatives.
It is the national program in Washington. Two representatives from each of the 49 state programs attend and act as senators.
Admissions readers recognize it. Oriel Admissions advises that an elected office or selection for Boys Nation carries more weight than attendance alone.
Yes. The Samsung American Legion Scholarship is open to participants who are direct descendants of eligible wartime veterans. Ten National Scholars receive $10,000 each.
Yes. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a separate but similar program called Girls State.
Sources: The American Legion: Program overview, The American Legion: About the state and national programs, The American Legion: Eligibility and dates, The American Legion: Samsung American Legion Scholarship
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