Civics Programs for High Schoolers: Boys State, Girls State and USSYP

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Article Summary

How to get into Boys State, Girls State, the U.S. Senate Youth Program and the Senate Page Program: eligibility, nominations, costs and 2026-27 dates.

Full Article

If you're curious about government, a handful of programs let you do more than read about it. You can run a mock state government for a week, debate bills as a "senator" in Washington, hear from national leaders, or help with the daily work of the U.S. Senate itself. Most of them also work differently from a normal application: someone has to nominate or sponsor you, and the deadlines are set locally.

This guide explains how students get into each one. Every fact below comes from the programs' official pages, checked on September 26, 2026.

The Programs at a Glance

ProgramWho it's forHow you get inCost to students
Boys StateHigh school juniors who haven't attended beforeUsually recommended by your school to a local American Legion post, which interviews and selectsNot stated on the national page; ask your post
Girls StateStudents who have completed junior yearSelected and sponsored by a local American Legion Auxiliary unitRegistration paid by the sponsoring unit; small personal costs possible
Boys Nation and Girls NationTwo delegates from each state programChosen at Boys State or Girls StateGirls Nation is privately funded by the Auxiliary
U.S. Senate Youth ProgramJuniors and seniors in a qualifying leadership roleSelected by state education officialsTravel, hotel and meals covered, plus a $12,500 scholarship
U.S. Senate Page ProgramJuniors (semester) or rising juniors and seniors (summer), age 16-17Apply through your senator's officeNot stated on the application page

Boys State and Boys Nation

American Legion Boys State has run since 1935. At Boys State, students run mock governments; the Legion describes the program as being for "top high school juniors" who show leadership, character, academic excellence and commitment to their school and community.

  • Eligibility: high school students who haven't attended before. Selection is based on merit and may vary slightly from state to state.
  • How selection works: in most cases, your school recommends you to the local American Legion post, which then interviews and selects the delegates who attend.
  • Boys Nation: two delegates from each Boys State program are selected for Boys Nation in Washington, D.C., where they serve as U.S. senators for a week of mock sessions, party conventions and visits to national landmarks. The 80th session ran July 17-25, 2026, and the 81st is set for summer 2027. You must attend Boys State to be eligible.

What to do now: if you're a junior, ask your counselor or social studies teacher this fall whether your school nominates students, and when. The Legion's state eligibility page lists state programs, or you can contact a local post directly.

Girls State and Girls Nation

American Legion Auxiliary Girls State is a week-long program hosted by Auxiliary departments in states across the country. Participants elect officials for every level of state government and run a mock government, assigned to mock cities and to either the "Federalist Party" or the "Nationalist Party."

  • Eligibility: high school students who have completed their junior year, competitively selected and sponsored by Auxiliary units.
  • How selection works: Auxiliary units work with local high school educators to identify students who show leadership, and each state program or unit decides its own selection process. The number of delegates varies by state.
  • Cost: each state-level Auxiliary underwrites its program, and the sponsoring local unit pays delegates' registration fees. Delegates may have "nominal expenses" for transportation, site fees or an optional service project.
  • Girls Nation: two students from each Girls State program are chosen as "senators" for a seven-day program in Washington, D.C. They write and debate bills, hold Senate sessions, elect a president and vice president, and visit Capitol Hill and Arlington National Cemetery. The 2026 session ran July 18-25, 2026. More than 7,500 students have attended since 1947.

What to do now: the Auxiliary tells juniors to contact their school counselor or local Auxiliary unit about the application process and deadline, or to use its "Find Your ALA Girls State" page.

The U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP)

The United States Senate Youth Program was created by a U.S. Senate resolution in 1962. Each year two student leaders from every state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity spend a week in Washington. The Hearst Foundations pay for all transportation, hotel and meals, and each delegate receives a $12,500 college scholarship for undergraduate study, with encouragement to take history and political science. During the week, delegates hear policy addresses from senators, cabinet members and other federal officials, and usually meet with the President and a Supreme Court justice. Delegates must attend the whole week to receive the scholarship.

Key dates for 2027

  • Washington Week: March 6-13, 2027 (the program's 65th year).
  • December 1, 2026: the national deadline for states to submit their delegates. Student deadlines are set by each state and fall before that, so check your state contact now.

Who qualifies

USSYP is stricter than most programs about eligibility:

  • You must be a high school junior or senior who has never been a delegate or received a USSYP scholarship.
  • You must hold a qualifying position for the entire 2026-2027 school year: student body president, vice president, secretary or treasurer; a class officer; a student council representative; an elected National Honor Society officer; or an elected or appointed student representative to a local, state, regional or national civic or educational organization approved by your state's selection administrator.
  • You must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident with a green card at the time you apply.
  • You must live in and attend a public or independent high school for the entire school year in the state where at least one parent or guardian lives. Home-educated students need approval from their state department of education.

How to apply: the Senate and the Hearst Foundations don't choose delegates. State education officials do. Get an application from your principal, counselor or social studies teacher, or from your state's selection contact on the USSYP site.

The U.S. Senate Page Program

The Page Program says pages "play an important role in the daily operation of the Senate." Pages live in the Daniel Webster Senate Page Residence, where the Senate Page School offers honors-level courses meant to complement students' work at home. The eligibility rules are specific:

  • Semester pages must have junior standing and be 16 or 17 on or before the date of appointment. Students expecting to graduate early that year aren't eligible.
  • Summer pages can be rising juniors or rising seniors who will be 16 or 17 on or before the date of appointment.
  • Students who are 18 can't be appointed. Pages must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents (or covered by State Department agreements) with a Social Security number, verify at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and provide a physician's health assessment, immunization certification and health insurance.
SessionDates posted
Fall 2026September 7 - January 22
Spring 2027January 24 - June 4
Summer Session ITo be announced, June 2027
Summer Session IITo be announced, July 2027

How to apply: directly to your own senators' offices. The process differs by office but commonly asks for a letter of interest, an official transcript, and letters of recommendation from teachers, mentors or supervisors. Deadlines vary by office, not every senator sponsors pages, and the Page Program keeps no list of senators who do, so check each senator's website. The program asks students not to send application materials to it directly. See the Senate Page Program listing for more.

A Year-Round Option: YMCA Youth and Government

If you want civics you can join without a nomination, look at YMCA Youth and Government. Running since 1936, it gives middle and high school students hands-on model government through state programs, with national programs such as the Conference on National Affairs. Its state directory shows how to join in your state.

How to Make Yourself a Strong Nominee

  • Hold a real role. USSYP requires an elected or appointed position for the full year. Even where it isn't required, sponsors look for students who already lead. Our guide to leadership without a title shows how to build that record.
  • Tell the right adults early. USSYP applications come through principals, counselors and social studies teachers, and Boys State and Girls State selection usually starts at school. Let them know in the fall of junior year that you're interested.
  • Prepare for an interview. Legion posts usually interview candidates before selecting delegates. Be ready to talk about a public issue you care about and something you've done in your school or community.
  • Build the skills. Debate and Model UN build the speaking and negotiation skills these programs reward.

For more, browse public policy programs and leadership programs, read our guide for future political science majors, or take the Find My Fit quiz.

Sources

Facts in this article were last reviewed against these sources on . Programs change their dates and prices; confirm on the official page before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get into Boys State or Girls State?

Through a local sponsor, not a national application. For Boys State, the American Legion says schools usually recommend students to their local Legion post, which interviews and selects delegates. For Girls State, American Legion Auxiliary units work with schools and select and sponsor delegates. Ask your school counselor early in junior year, because each state sets its own process and deadline.

Does Girls State cost money?

The American Legion Auxiliary says each state's program is underwritten by the state-level Auxiliary and delegates' registration fees are paid by the sponsoring local unit. Delegates may still have small costs for transportation, site fees or an optional service project.

Who is eligible for the U.S. Senate Youth Program?

High school juniors and seniors who hold a qualifying elected or appointed leadership position, such as student body or class officer, student council representative or National Honor Society officer, for the entire 2026-2027 school year. They must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are selected by state education officials, not by the Senate.

How do I become a U.S. Senate page?

Apply through one of your own senators' offices. Semester pages must be juniors who will be 16 or 17 when appointed; summer pages can be rising juniors or seniors of the same age. Pages need at least a 3.0 GPA. Not every senator sponsors pages, and each office sets its own deadlines.

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