Virginia Girls State and Boys State make Farmville home this week

I took part in Girls State on Longwood's campus before my senior year, and coming from Fairfax County, this was my first real exposure to how local and state politics in Virginia worked.

"I took part in Girls State on Longwood's campus before my senior year, and coming from Fairfax County, this was my first real exposure to how local and state politics in Virginia worked," said Dr. Larissa Smith, Longwood provost and vice president for academic affairs. "I also met young women from across the state, some of whom became lifelong friends, and learned how to collaborate across differences to work toward the common good."

The Virginia Girls State and Boys State programs are organized and run by the American Legion Auxiliary and American Legion, respectively, and bring together Virginia high school students for a week of civic and leadership-focused programming on college campuses. Both initiatives invite select high school students who have completed their junior year to attend a week-long summit that teaches participants about the formation and operation of city, county and state government entities. Attendees are grouped into "cities" and work and live together as self-governing citizens who vote and carry out elected and appointed positions of their respective Boys and Girls State governments.

Boys State was such an important experience for me. It introduced me to college life, helped form relationships that continued when I got to Longwood as a student, and provided me with a deeper understanding of government and the political process.

"Boys State was such an important experience for me," said Longwood Vice President for Student Affairs Cameron Patterson '10, M.S. '17, who participated in the event in 2004 before enrolling at Longwood one year later. "It introduced me to college life, helped form relationships that continued when I got to Longwood as a student, and provided me with a deeper understanding of government and the political process. I was already interested in how government functions and the electoral process at that point in my life, but to have a front-row seat to engage with speakers from all levels of government, learn new leadership skills, and put it all into action alongside my fellow delegates was an incredible, eye-opening opportunity."

Both Boys State and Girls State have taken place on Virginia college campuses throughout most of their existence, with Longwood (Girls State, 1974-present) serving as the longest-tenured host of either initiative. The events also welcome prominent public figures each year, including past Virginia governors, elected officials and Boys and Girls State alumni-including Smith, who welcomes Girls State participants every year and shares the story of Farmville native and civil rights hero Barbara Johns.

Virginia Girls State-formed in 1947 after the national Girls State organization launched in 1937-has partnered with Longwood every year since 1974. Meanwhile, Virginia Boys State-launched in 1939 after the national organization was created in 1935-most recently took place at Radford University and, prior to that, Liberty University.

"We talk a lot about Longwood being a driving force for bringing people to Farmville, and one of the ways we do that is hosting events like Virginia Girls State," Smith said.

"But Girls State isn't just about getting people to our campus; it's about exposing young people to how a community works and how to identify and overcome challenges together with people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives. It's about preparing them to make a positive difference wherever they end up, whether that's on a college campus or anywhere life takes them, and Longwood and our town are proud to be partners in that mission."