What is Arizona Boys State?
The American Legion Arizona Boys State is a flagship youth program of The American Legion Department of Arizona. This week-long leadership training and civics education experience is designed to teach students about how our government functions and to encourage them to become engaged citizens. Boys across the state who have completed their junior year of high school are eligible to attend Boys State. Click here to learn more about Arizona Boys State.
When and where is the program?
Arizona Boys State 2025 will take place from June 1 to June 7, 2025 at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson.
UPDATE (February 21, 2025): To help control unforeseen program costs, the Arizona Boys State board of directors has voted to shorten the duration of the 2025 program. Arizona Boys State 2025 will be 7 days long (June 1 to June 7, 2025), rather than 8 days as previously announced. Boys State has historically been a 7-day program.
What is The American Legion?
The American Legion is a U.S. war veterans organization with nearly 2 million members worldwide. Founded by Act of Congress in 1919, The American Legion’s mission is to enhance the well-being of America’s veterans, their families, our military, and our communities by our devotion to mutual helpfulness. To learn more about The American Legion, click here.
The American Legion is organized into 55 departments, with one department operating in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines. Within each department, most of the activities of The American Legion are carried out through local American Legion Posts. There are over 13,000 American Legion Posts across the globe.
Beyond The American Legion itself, two other organizations make up The American Legion Family: the Sons of The American Legion (for male descendants of U.S. military veterans) and The American Legion Auxiliary (for spouses and female relatives of U.S. military veterans).
Why should I care about Arizona Boys State?
Boys State is a historic program that boasts many notable alumni nationwide, including President Bill Clinton, astronaut Neil Armstrong, and basketball star Michael Jordan, just to name a few (view a fuller list here). College admissions counselors and many job recruiters are familiar with Boys State, which can help students stand out in a competitive admissions or recruiting process. 
Of course, the real value of Boys State is not as a résumé booster, but rather the lessons and experiences that students will carry with them for the rest of their lives. For example, Arizona Boys State is staffed almost exclusively by former Boys Staters who choose to volunteer their time each year because of how they have been personally impacted by the program.
Who is eligible to attend Boys State?
There is only one true requirement to be eligible to attend Boys State: the student must be a boy who will have just completed his junior year in June 2025. In addition, students must be able to attend Boys State for the full duration of the program (limited exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis). Beyond this, the most successful candidates for Boys State typically have some or all of the following characteristics:
- Strong academic record
- Robust involvement in extracurricular activities (e.g., speech and debate club, National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, JROTC)
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated interest in public service (e.g., government, law, law enforcement, or military service)
Students who attend Boys State and are descendants of a U.S. military veteran are eligible to apply for a college scholarship sponsored by Samsung and The American Legion. Additional information about this scholarship opportunity will be provided once the student registers for Boys State.
Is there a cost to attend Boys State?
Each student selected to attend Boys State is responsible for paying a $225 tuition fee. If this cost is prohibitive, students may request financial assistance when completing the registration form for Boys State. Financial aid is not guaranteed.
Although we charge a tuition fee of $225 per student, the true cost of attendance for each student who attends Arizona Boys State is approximately $650 in room and board and other program costs. To make up this difference, the school, school district, and/or The American Legion Posts typically provide a sponsorship (or scholarship) of $425 per student. Students are not responsible for arranging this sponsorship.
Is transportation to Boys State provided?
In general, students must arrange their own transportation to and from Boys State. Schools (including multiple schools within the same school district) are encouraged to help coordinate carpools among their students. In addition, a variety of low-cost transportation options (such as airport shuttles and private bus companies) are available.
Is there a Girls State?
Yes, there is a Girls State! However, Arizona Boys State and Arizona Girls State operate independently. For information about Girls State, click here.