American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State are among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for high school students. They are participatory programs where each participant becomes a part of the operation of his or her local, county and state government.
Boys State has been a program of The American Legion since 1935 when it was organized to counter the Fascist inspired Young Pioneer Camps. Girls State became a program of the Auxiliary in 1937.
Boys State was the idea of two Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, who organized the first Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. The American Legion Auxiliary later created a similar program for young ladies called Girls State. At American Legion Boys State and Girl’s State participants are exposed to the rights and privileges, the duties and the responsibilities of a franchised citizen. The training is objective and practical with city, county and state governments operated by the students elected to the various offices.
Activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, chorus and recreational programs. High school juniors are selected by local American Legion posts and Auxiliary units to attend the program. In most cases, expenses associated with attending this program are paid by a sponsoring American Legion post, unit , a local business or another community-based organization.
In Maryland, Boys State and Girl’s State is conducted annually and typically begins on Fathers Day and runs through the following Saturday. To be eligible for Boys State and Girl’s State, a youth who has successfully completed their junior year in high school by the beginning of Boys State and Girl’s. Any boy or girl who has previously attended a Boys State or Girls State is not eligible.
Boy’s State is held at McDaniel College starting June 15 through June 21, 2025 and Girl’s State starts the same week but is held at Salisbury University, subject to change.
Patricia McCoy is the point of contact for Boys State in Calvert County. Her contact information for Boy’s State is , 443-871-0477 . Please leave her a message with your contact information or send her an email at gmagolf@gmail.com and she will get back to you as soon as possible.
For Girls State your Calvert County contact is Kathy Gray. Her contact information for Girls State is , 202-510-0503. Please leave her a message with your contact information or send her an email at kjogray@gmail.com and she will get back to you as soon as possible. for more information.
You will not regret it.
For more information on Boy’s State and Girls State, you can go to the following links:
The American Legion Department of Maryland
https://www.mdlegion.org/boysstate
Maryland Boys and Girls State website
Boys State
Girls State