Summer program
American Legion Boys State
The American Legion (state departments)
Cost
Typically sponsored (Legion posts often cover participant costs; varies by state)
Deadline
See sponsor site
Not yet published; confirm on sponsor site
Selective week-long residential program where high school juniors operate mock city, county, and state governments. Founded in 1935; each state department runs its own dates, costs, and selection process.
Eligibility
- Grade levels
- High school junior
- Fields of study
- Social sciences, Humanities
Special eligibility to verify
- Legion post or school selection: Students are typically recommended by schools to local Legion posts, which select delegates; process varies by department.
Application requirements
- Find your state Boys State program and contacts: Use register.legion.org/boysnation/stateeligibility for state links, dates, and application instructions.
- Work with your school and sponsoring Legion post: Ideal path is school recommendation to a local post, which interviews and selects representatives.
Verified Jun 21, 2026 · View official source