University Hosting 2025 Mississippi Boys State and Girls State Programs
Weeklong programs give participants hands-on leadership and citizenship training
OXFORD, Miss. – Mississippi's future leaders will come to the Ole Miss campus this summer when the school hosts the 2025 sessions of the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State and the American Legion Boys State programs.
Boys State will be held May 25-31, and Girls State will take place June 8-13. Both weeklong programs provide rising high school seniors with immersive experiences in citizenship, leadership and government.
A Magnolia Girls State delegate addresses fellow delegates during the 2024 session. Photo by Camille Bullock/Magnolia Girls State
Participants in each program create and manage their own mock municipalities, where they elect leaders, draft legislation, and address real-world community challenges. By the end of the week, students gain firsthand experience in how local and state governments function and how they can actively engage in their own communities.
"Since 1947, the American Legion Auxiliary's Girls State program has evolved alongside our participants," said Angela Kilcrease, an auxiliary member and director of the Magnolia Girls State program. "We continue to model our leadership program after our state's form of government, with a focus on good citizenship, self-confidence and civic awareness."
The programs adapt each year to reflect participants' growing awareness and the shifting political climate, Kilcrease said.
"Delegates hear from influential speakers, write and pass bills on issues important to them, and engage deeply with the legislative process," she said. "While the foundation of the program remains the same, we continue to raise the bar in inspiring these young women to grow in civic awareness and leadership."
For Cait Mayo, a Girls State staffer and freshman public policy leadership major from Oxford, the program's impact extends beyond the weeklong session.
"I think the most meaningful part of the week was the connections I made," Mayo said. "I still keep in touch with the girls from my city and beyond.
"They're my friends and my peers – in my sorority, in the Lott Institute, and in other high-achieving majors here at Ole Miss and other schools. These are people I can depend on and learn from."
Mississippi Boys State participants give a fellow delegate a lift onto the Grove stage after electing him to a leadership position. Photo by Michael Coleman/Mississippi Boys State
Mississippi Boys State offers a similar hands-on opportunity for young men to explore the workings of state government and develop leadership skills.
"Mississippi Boys State inspires young men to stay engaged in civic life beyond their time in the program by offering a dynamic, immersive experience that brings government and leadership to life," said Michael Coleman, media lead for Mississippi American Legion Boys State. "Throughout the week, participants campaign, hold elections, make laws and hone their public speaking skills."
Participants are grouped into mock cities and political parties, where they collaborate to form governments, create laws and address community challenges. These experiences encourage teamwork, critical thinking and communication.
"The program's activities and mentorship experiences help participants better understand the responsibilities and challenges of public service," Coleman said. "Through mock elections, legislative sessions and city government simulations, delegates confront issues such as policymaking, ethical leadership and conflict resolution."
Top: A speaker from the American Legion addresses 2024 Mississippi Boys State delegates in the Grove. Boys State returns to Ole Miss for a weeklong session May 25-31. Photo by Michael Coleman/Mississippi Boys State