63rd ANNUAL
SOUTH DAKOTA
AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY
2009 GIRLS STATE

A Citizenship Program
for Young Women

 


 Flag Etiquette

http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html

 

Girls State Memories

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Available in CD, DVD, and Video Tape

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Parents...

Do you want to come visit your Girls Stater?

Friday night is the best time to come over and visit.

Beginning at 7:30 in MUC Ballroom we will be hosting our inauguration celebration.

The Girls State Chorus will perform and the new South Dakota Girls State Governor will address her state! Come join in the fun, but remember that you can always watch all the assemblies live on the South Dakota Girls State Webcam if you can't make it!

 

 

General Information

 

South Dakota Girls State will be held on the University of South Dakota campus, Vermillion, from June 1 - June 6, 2009. This site provides information such as a schedule of events, questions and comments from past Girls State sessions, a list of staff and counselors, and information on scholarship opportunities.

 

A Brief History of Girls State

 

Back in the depression ridden days of the early 30s, the American Legion grew concerned over public statements to the effect that Democracy was "on the skids." How, it wondered, could America train its young people in the processes of self government as effectively as Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany seemed to be training their youth in the totalitarian forms of government. Deciding the best way to learn was by practicing it, American Legionnaires began, in 1935, gathering teenage representatives together for a few days each summer in a citizenship training program on the processes of city, county and state Government. They called it "Boys State." As the program succeeded and spread throughout the United States, the American Legion Auxiliary began a similar program for girls. Thus "Girls State" was authorized in 1937-38, and is now established in 50 Departments in our Nation.

South Dakota Girls State was founded at Mitchell in 1947. It met regularly each year on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University until 1985, when it was moved to the campus of South Dakota State University, Brookings. In 2002, the program was moved to The University of South Dakota, Vermillion. It is under the sponsorship of South Dakota Department of the American Legion Auxiliary. From an enrollment of 117 girls in 1947, Girls State has grown to its present enrollment of over 480 girls.

 

 

The 60th Anniversary of South Dakota Girls State  paid tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom in Iraq and Kuwait with ties to South Dakota in 2006.

All GAVE SOME - SOME GAVE ALL

 

Welcome t0 South Dakota Girls State!

The girls have arrived! See everything that goes on at all our assemblies with our live webcam and be sure to check out our outstanding staff by clicking on the links to the left.