Director’s Letter
December 2023
Dear Iowa, American Legion Auxiliary Girl State Citizen,
You have been selected by an American Legion Auxiliary to represent the community where you live by attending the 2024 session of Girls State. Your citizenship characteristics along with your grades and your community service played a big part in your selection to attend this premier program of the American Legion Auxiliary. Girls State 2024 will be held June 16 – 21, 2024 at Drake University, Des Moines, IA. CONGRATULATIONS on this accomplishment during your high school years, as this is one of the best gifts for an adventure and an experience that you could receive.
Girls State is a strenuous “learning by doing” government encompassed Sunday through Friday evening adventure, where you will live in a dorm setting with your peers. You will be able to invest in the program as much as you want to with assistance from the adult counselors, government staff and your peers. You may have heard about Girls State from the ones that went before you, such as little sleep, no recreation, learning about city, county, and state government in an active setting, and participating in various facets of the election process. Your in-person experience at Girls State will in fact take on a unique perspective other than what you have heard.
You will be busy with a variety of activities, from the first thing in the morning till the evening hours. You can be involved in the political process by jumping in the campaign field yourself and trying for an office, to cheering on your newly met peers that are running whether on the city, county, or state levels. While at Girls State, citizens practice democracy in action, while they learn about civic leadership, community building and belonging to a group. Do not let making a speech to your peers or volunteering to participate in the flag raising/ lowering ceremonies stop you from achieving great things. This week will be your moment to go for it all, so do it!
Members of the Girls State Board want you to have a fun time all while learning about government, community support, and self-worth. I, along with many others, would like you to learn this week that you have courage, confidence, humility, compassion, and perseverance as you face each day head on. What a great accomplishment it will be to have so many brilliant young minds gathered in the same space as you work together to achieve a common goal.
Your attendance at the 2024 session of the Iowa American Legion Auxiliary Girls State is continuing to carry on a great tradition that was started in 1946 by 4 women who had a dream. You are incredibly lucky to be making your own special memories at Girls State all while continuing the tradition of learning today and leading tomorrow.
Again, on behalf of the Girls State board- Congratulations on your selection to the Iowa American Legion Auxiliary Girls State 2024 session. As the days pass by until the session, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us. My desire is for you to feel comfortable and confident while attending and enjoying yourself as you make great strides at Girls State.
Sharing of Service,
Bev Copple, Iowa American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Director