Hello
START
Your Application Process Here with
ALA MGS 101
STEP 1: What is ALA MGS?
American Legion Auxiliary Missouri Girls State is an immersive week of government and career-oriented study sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. At ALA MGS, we will educate all participants on the ideals of our democratic society while teaching principles of patriotism, including flag etiquette. Additionally, ALA MGS provides the opportunity to experience college living, meet new friends, and expand awareness of other types of Missouri living, either rural or urban. The eight-day session is an intensive learning experience for everyone involved.
STEP 2: What can be expected at ALA MGS?
Arrival & Governmental Structure
Upon arrival, all citizens are assigned to a fictitious political party, where they rally behind candidates running for office and work together to build a platform unique to that year’s group of citizens. Additionally, all citizens are assigned to a city, where they live in a common portion of a residence hall and eat together throughout the week. Each city forms a city government with elected officials who carry out assigned responsibilities and duties. Together, two cities form a county with duties and responsibilities performed by their elected officials. Finally, the state government is formed through the primary ballot, which narrows party candidates to the general election ballot and elects the Governor and other statewide positions. Other parts of state government include the ALA MGS General Assembly (legislative branch) and the Supreme Court (judicial branch).
Schools of Instruction
Each citizen will select one of nine (9) classes to attend daily during the ALA MGS week. For the 2027 session, planned classes include Campaign and Political Operations, Commerce, Education, International Affairs, Journalism and Media, Law, Law Enforcement and Public Safety, Legislative and Executive Policy, and Local Government and Policy. An exam will be given on Friday. A passing grade on the exam, active participation in the week’s activities, compliance with the rules and regulations, and attendance for the entire session will enable a citizen to apply for college credit through Lindenwood University. More information about college credit will be available before the session’s start date.
Other Activities
Many other opportunities let you participate in ALA Missouri Girls State without running for elected office. Each day includes assemblies with guest speakers whom citizens can interact with through Q&A. Citizens may participate in the ALA MGS band, which performs before some assemblies and the Friday inauguration of state officials, or showcase their abilities in the ALA MGS talent show. Citizens can also be selected by fellow city citizens to serve as members of the press (broadcast, podcast, and newspaper) or serve on the ALA MGS Highway Patrol. Citizens can also take on roles within each School of Instruction, including becoming business owners, lawyers, police chiefs, and more!
STEP 3: Understanding the Application Process
Application Overview
All interested candidates for American Legion Auxiliary Missouri Girls State must submit their application online via apply.missourigirlsstate.org. The application is completed online and must be created using a personal, non-school email address. A school contact must review the application and nominate you as a strong candidate from your high school. If the school does not nominate an application, the applicant will not have the opportunity to attend ALA MGS. ALA MGS accepts applicants based on when funds for their sponsorship have been received or allocated through program donations. Please see the Unit and/or School packet for more information. The quickest way to ensure that you have the opportunity to attend ALA MGS is to work with your school contact or local American Legion group (Auxiliary, Legion Post, Sons Squadron, or Riders Chapter) to help secure a sponsorship donation to pay for your attendance ($500 for 2027). Please note that families cannot self-pay for their student’s sponsorship cost to attend ALA MGS.
Application Timeline
-
September 1, 2026 - Applications are available online at apply.missourigirlsstate.org for all Class of 2028 Missouri high school students to apply for ALA MGS 2027.
-
January 15, 2027 - Early admission date: The American Legion Auxiliary Missouri Girls State will accept at least 1 student from every Missouri high school who has completed their application and been nominated by their school contact by this date. All nominated applications by this date also have the highest chance of being accepted throughout the admissions process from January-April 2027 because they completed their application first.
-
March 10, 2027 - Priority application date: All applications by this date will be reviewed for additional funds for the possibility to attend ALA MGS 2027. Mail sponsorship paperwork and corresponding funds from schools or Legion family organizations by this date to ALA MGS.
-
April 15, 2027 - Standby application date: All applications after the priority date of April 15th will be considered to fill cancellations or other vacancies.​
NOTE: ALA MGS can meet capacity at any time during this timeline and place applicants on a waitlist to attend the program. The guaranteed way to have a spot at ALA MGS is to ensure funding for your position has been sent in by your school or Legion family organization.
STEP 4: ALA MGS Policies
Acceptance Policy
American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Missouri, Missouri Girls State reserves the right to accept or reject any applicant nominated to attend ALA MGS.
Attendance policy
A citizen must remain at ALA MGS for the ENTIRE session to receive program credit. The sponsoring organization, ALA Unit, and school are notified when a student fails to attend ALA MGS or a citizen leaves before completing the program. The list of citizens who completed the full program is provided to the host institution for part of the dual credit eligibility process and is provided to other colleges and universities for scholarship eligibility.
​
Any citizen of ALA MGS found to be violating the ALA MGS Code of Conduct will be subject to immediate dismissal without refund and barred from further participation in the program. The parent(s)/guardian(s) will be notified and required to come pick up their citizen. The American Legion Auxiliary Unit, contributing organization, and school will be notified when a citizen fails to complete the program. A citizen who fails to complete the ALA MGS session may be held responsible for reimbursing her sponsor for the sponsorship fee.
Code of Conduct - All applicants and their parent(s) and/or guardian(s) give acknowledgment of the code of conduct upon applying to ALA MGS 2027.
Orientation Policy
As noted in the Code of Conduct, all accepted citizens for the 2027 session must complete orientation before attending the program. Failure to attend orientation (virtual or in person) will result in forfeiture of program attendance, with no refund to the sponsoring organization. Orientation information, schedule, and locations will be provided by mail and email on or around April 15, 2027.
Disability Policy
All arrangements for an applicant with a physical disability must be submitted in writing to the Director before the applicant is accepted to ALA MGS. This can be done via email to headquarters@missourigirlsstate.org. If an individual with a physical disability is selected who needs assistance to participate, the sponsoring organization must furnish a full-time female aide of legal age to assist the citizen. The sponsoring organization must cover all aide expenses, including transportation, meals, and lodging. ALA MGS will not be responsible for any expenses or providing any necessary equipment. Also, the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Missouri, Missouri Girls State must ensure that proper insurance is provided for the citizen with a disability and the aide, and any additional premiums will be assumed by the citizen's parent or guardian.
The American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Missouri, Missouri Girls State is an educational exercise in which the majority of the base skills are transmitted to the citizens via verbal and written communications. ALA MGS will make every effort to afford qualified individual applicants an opportunity to participate regardless of impairment, but at no additional cost to the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Missouri, Missouri Girls State.
Harassment Policy
ALA MGS will not tolerate harassment and bullying. For purposes of this policy, those terms are defined as intimidation or harassment of a citizen or multiple citizens perpetrated by individuals or groups. Bullying includes, but is not limited to: physical actions, including violence, gestures, theft, or damaging property; oral or written taunts, including name-calling, put-downs, hate speech, extortion, or threats; or threats of retaliation for reporting such acts. Any person(s) found to violate this policy may be dismissed from the program.
Health & Wellness Policy
During ALA MGS, first aid and/or medical attention will be available if required. We will take every care to avoid accidents and prevent illness, but the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Missouri, Missouri Girls State will not accept responsibility for injuries or illness should they occur. Please understand this assistance is available to those in urgent need and not as a way out of an activity.
All accepted citizens must provide medical information via the ALA MGS App after acceptance into the program. Accepted citizens must provide necessary accommodation information to the ALA MGS program, including medical conditions and restrictions, dietary restrictions, and allergies. All citizens should complete this information by May 31, 2027. If you do not provide this information through the app, the program cannot guarantee the accommodations needed to meet each citizen's individual needs. If you have a serious medical condition, ALA MGS staff will communicate with you and/or your family to make any necessary arrangements.
Remember that the program is mentally and physically strenuous, including long hours of being awake with little to no breaks, as well as walking across the college campus throughout the day (in varying weather conditions). Even if a medical or mental wellness concern seems minor, we encourage all families to report it in the app to ensure a positive experience for all participants.
Hearing and/or Vision Impaired Policy
The following policy will be applied to the Hearing Impaired and/or Vision Impaired:
-
A citizen with a severe hearing and/or visual impairment must be accompanied, so as to provide her safety at all times, by a qualified female aide or signing person (an interpreter) of legal age who is capable of voice communication and/or sign language. The aide must pay for an ALA MGS program-approved background check.
-
The aide or interpreter must accompany the citizen to all program functions, and must adhere to all citizen rules.
-
The personal aide or interpreter will be subject to the same fees as a citizen but will not be allowed to participate in the program without the express prior permission of the ALA MGS Director.
-
The American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Missouri, Missouri Girls State, will not be responsible to the personal aide or interpreter in any way, for any remuneration for her efforts on behalf of the hearing impaired and/or vision impaired citizen.
-
If there are varying degrees of vision impairment, or a Seeing Eye dog is involved, the above rules may vary; each case will be considered on an individual basis by the ALA MGS Director, in consultation with the host institution.
-
This policy is in addition to the ALA MGS Disability Policy.
All arrangements for any citizen with a severe visual or hearing impairment must be submitted in writing and approved by the ALA Missouri Girls State Director, before the individual’s acceptance as a citizen to the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Missouri, Missouri Girls State program.
Photo/Identity Release Policy
Each citizen and her parent/guardian hereby give consent to ALA Missouri Girls State and its designees the right to film and photograph the citizen and use the citizen’s name, pictures, and other reproductions of physical likeness in connection with ALA Missouri Girls State press releases, website, social media pages and all other projects sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and ALA Missouri Girls State, including any digital photo links, videos or films used to publicize and/or advertise ALA Missouri Girls State and further understand that no compensation for such use will be paid to the citizen and/or the citizen’s parent/guardian. The ALA Missouri Girls State program may distribute the following identifying information to Universities and Colleges for scholarship information: name, high school, physical address, and e-mail address from the online application.
