By Car

From the Los Angeles area, take the San Bernardino Freeway (I-10) to Indian Hill Boulevard (exit 47). Drive north on Indian Hill for about two miles. Turn right onto Foothill Boulevard. Turn right onto Claremont Boulevard, which will be the third stoplight you encounter. Turn right onto Ninth Street. Go about two blocks to Bauer Center, which will be on your left.

From Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley, take the Foothill Freeway (I-210) east. Exit at Towne Avenue and drive south for one mile. At Foothill Boulevard turn left onto Foothill Boulevard and continue approximately two miles to Claremont Boulevard, which will be the third stoplight you encounter after passing Indian Hill Boulevard. Turn right onto Claremont Boulevard. Turn right onto Ninth Street. Go about two blocks to Bauer Center, which will be on your left.

From Orange County, take the Orange Freeway (Route 57) north to the San Bernardino Freeway (I-10). Continue east on I-10 to Indian Hill Boulevard (exit 47). Drive north on Indian Hill for about two miles. Turn right onto Foothill Boulevard. Turn right onto Claremont Boulevard, which will be the third stoplight you encounter. Turn right onto Ninth Street. Go about two blocks to Bauer Center, which will be on your left.

By Air

Claremont is located about ten miles west of the Ontario International Airport. Los Angeles International Airport is approximately 50 miles west of Claremont. A Girls State shuttle bus is available from Ontario Airport for a fee of $15 round trip. Reservations must be made through the Girls State Director prior to arrival.

By Train

The closest Amtrak station is in Pomona, a few miles from the campus. Claremont is served from Los Angeles by Metrolink. The station is ten blocks south of campus. Use a taxi to get from the station to the campus.

By Bus

A positive attitude . . . energy . . . enthusiasm . . . a big heart . . . laughter and . . .

We have compiled a printable checklist to help serve as a guide when you pack for Girls State.

Clothing

• Six days worth of casual clothes
You will possibly spend some time outside, so nice shorts (no cut-offs) are appropriate. If your school allows you to wear shorts, follow those guidelines for what is acceptable. Casual clothing may also include pants, nice jeans, skirts, and comfortable shoes.

Toiletries and Other Personal Items
Please note that there are community showers on the dorm floors.

• Soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.
• Towels and washcloths
• Robe
• Flip-flops for the showers
• Bed linens – Bring twin-sized extra-long sheets, a warm blanket, comforter, or sleeping bag and a pillow. (Note: Air-conditioned dorm rooms can get very cool at night.)
• Necessary medication prescribed by your physician or over-the-counter medication that you take on a regular basis or take occasionally (i.e. Advil or Tylenol)

Miscellaneous Items

• Sweater or jacket for cool, air-conditioned meeting rooms
• Alarm clock
• Musical instrument(s) – The Chorus provides opportunities to play during musical presentations.
• Clothes hangers – Each room provides hanging space and drawer space for storing clothing.
• Camera
• Pens, pencils and notebook paper
• Tote bag or backpack – You will be walking from activity to activity and may want to carry personal items and your notebook with you.
• Snacks, if you choose
• Water bottle, if you choose

Operation Military Kids (OMK) Donation

The service activity during Girls State will be Operation Military Kids - HERO Packs. Learn more by reading this flier.

Money
Though your sponsorship fee covers the expense of your meals and accommodations, please consider the following when deciding the amount of extra money to bring:

• Food
At ALA Girls State, your meals are covered by your sponsorship fee.  You may want to bring change for snack vending machines located in dorm buildings.
• Girls State Store
You will have the opportunity to purchase items from the ALA Girls State Store. Items may include sweatshirts, t-shirts, shorts, and other souvenirs. Prices range from $1.00 to $28.00. The store accepts cash and checks. You can pre-order and not worry about bringing cash or a checkbook.
• Keys
Please note that all citizens are required to lock dorm rooms with the provided key. If a citizen loses her key, she will be charged $150.00. If she loses a key card, the replacement fee is $25.

Unnecessary Items
Do not bring the following items, which are unnecessary during your stay at ALA Girls State:

• Refrigerators
• TVs
• Laptops or other computers (no wired/wireless Internet connection or printer access available)

• Remember . . . you have to carry your own stuff! •

Each delegate is responsible for bringing a piece of legislation with her to the Girls State Session. The most successful bills will be carefully researched, well informed of current
conditions and will address a pertinent state issue. Please read this document carefully. Here is more information to help get you started.

Below are several links to sites that will help you understand how to write a bill.

UC Davis     Princeton Model Congress     American International College    Building a Bill   

This scholarship is one of a series of scholarships derived from a Samsung Corporation endowment. The endowment was created to express appreciation to U.S. veterans who came to the aid of Korea during its struggle against communist forces during the Korean War. The Samsung Corporation is a worldwide leader in electronics. The American Legion administers this scholarship program from a Samsung scholarship fund. Get more information from this document.

Am I eligible to apply for the Samsung American Legion Scholarship?

You are eligible to participate if you complete the California Girls State Program and provide acceptable documentation to show that you are a descendant (child, grandchild, great grandchild, or a legally adopted child) of a U.S. wartime Veteran who served on active duty during one or more of the periods of war officially designated as eligible. Those include:

How can I apply?

SAMSUNG AMERICAN LEGION - SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION - DIRECTIONS - 2011
Print out the scholarship application. You will be able to download the application directly as a PDF. Read all the following information to assist you with completing the form.

What is the scholarship amount and how many girls are selected to receive it?

Each year approximately 200 CAGS citizens apply for the Samsung Scholarship. We select one CAGS citizen to receive a $1,000 scholarship. Our candidate also earns the right to compete with Boys and Girls State Citizens from across the country for one of seven $20,000 Samsung scholarships. In 2008, 11 $20,000 scholarships and 85 $1,000 scholarships were awarded.

What are the selection criteria?

Selections are based on academic record; involvement in school activities; involvement in community activities; community service; and financial need. Additional points are granted to descendants of U.S. veterans of the Korean War.

How do I know if I’m a competitive candidate for the scholarship?

The Samsung scholarship is very competitive. Those selected to represent CAGS generally have a GPA of above 3.50, are within the top percentage of their class, and score in the high 20s or better on the ACT (or earn an equivalent SAT score). Successful candidates also show evidence of multiple school and community activities and receipt of 8-10 local and national level awards.

How should I respond to the essay questions on the application?

We encourage you to type your application so it shows you put time and thought into it. Your responses should be interesting, sincere, and succinct. The application should help the judges get to know you, your goals, and your accomplishments.

If I win the scholarship, how can I use it?

Samsung scholarships are for undergraduate study only and may be used for tuition, books, fees, and room and board. Winners are selected according to academic record, involvement in school and community activities, community service and financial need. Applicants who are direct descendants of Korean War veterans will receive special consideration.

When do I find out if I have won the scholarship?

We announce our CAGS Samsung Scholarship selection on the final day of Girls State. The seven national-level winners are announced in September.

How do I submit my application and support documents?

Bring your completed application and support documents with you to Girls State. Your CAGS counselor will collect all the applications during the first city meeting.

If you are a California High School advisor, counselor or principal with questions about how your school can get involved with California Girls State by having a delegate represent your school, you need to answer the following questions.

Is there a local American Legion Auxiliary Unit in your city? If you don't know, contact the Department Office.

Would your school student body funds be able to afford the fees (currently $400) should the local Unit be unable to financially support the delegate?

Do you feel there are at least five qualified candidates among your female, Junior class students?

If you could answer YES to the questions, contact the ALA Chairman to begin the conversation about becoming a Girls State Delegate High School.