The American Legion Auxiliary provides scholarships for girls who will be completing their junior year of high school (including home school students) to attend the Wyoming Girls State program each year. The girls apply for these scholarships, the auxiliary then interviews the girls and selects the delegates who will be eligible to attend.

What is Girls State, you may ask? In Wyoming, the sessions are held on the Laramie County Community College campus June 4-10. The girls selected to attend will learn leadership skills, patriotism and social skills with a focus on government. They mix with other girls from around Wyoming and “run” the fictitious city, county and state government positions for the week under the guidance of volunteer staffers, volunteer senators, representatives and attorneys. The girls will write bills to be considered by their Girls State legislature and the ones that pass through the Girls State legislature are sent on to the “real” legislators for their consideration. They are separated into the House, Senate and Courts and become much more well-rounded citizens. College credit and college scholarships are available as well. Check out the Facebook page Wyoming Girls State for photos and additional information.

The auxiliary pays for room, board and sessions. There is a registration fee of $30 and those who attend are responsible for transportation to and from Cheyenne.

If you know of a girl who will finish her junior year of high school by June 1 who may be interested in attending Girls State, have them contact their school counselor, or American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Chairman, Trudy Zaffarano at 307-272-3495. Applications are due by Feb. 25, 2023.