Northwestern State University will host the Louisiana Boys and Louisiana Girls State programs June 24-30. Louisiana Boys and Girls State is a summer leadership and citizenship program sponsored by the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary for high school students between their junior and senior year. The programs will be held concurrently on the NSU campus.

Participants – called citizens — in each program are divided into groups and elect mock municipal officials and representative to a mock state legislature. They also elect state officials who meet to hold elections and pass bills in a manner similar to the actual Louisiana legislature. The program is intended to teach high-achieving students to be informed citizens while developing a sense of community, service and responsibility.

More than 1,000 students, along with about 80 counselors and junior counselors and dozens of Legion and Auxiliary staff participate in each program.

Louisiana Boys State began in 1940, followed by Louisiana Girls State in 1941. Northwestern State has hosted the event since 2007. Delegates are sponsored by an American Legion Post, local business or community-based organization. The delegates will utilize several residence halls and university buildings throughout the NSU and Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts campuses. Boys and Girls State staff and counselors will be arriving throughout the week in preparation for the citizens’ arrival and convocation Sunday, June 24.