Boys State

American Legion Boys State is among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U.S. high school students. A participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government, Boys State was founded in 1935 to counter the socialism-inspired Young Pioneer Camps. To learn more, check out this link: https://www.legion.org/boysnation/about

American Legion Auxiliary Girls State

Female high school students who have completed their junior year are competitively selected and sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary units for this program, where they learn about the political process by electing officials for all levels of state government and actively running a mock government.

The girls are assigned to mock cities and either the “Federalist Party” or “Nationalist Party.” To learn more, click here: https://www.legion-aux.org/ala-girls-state

Post 38 is responsible for coordinating Jersey Boy State and Jersey Girls State programs for Haddonfield Memorial High School and Haddon Heights High School.

The Boys State Program is conducted in person at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ, generally over Father’s Day weekend in June.
The Girls State program is generally held the week after in Georgian Court University located in Lakewood, NJ.