Department (Statewide) Alternate Instructions
for interested 11th grade students for the 2023-24 school year
who attend a school not yet sponsored to 2024 ALA CA Girls State
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Though over 85 students who submitted online inquiries were able to identify
a sponsoring American Legion Auxiliary Unit for the 2024 ALA CA Girls State session,
many students were unable to secure sponsorship.
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The ALA Department of CA Girls State Committee is seeking
interested Department (Statewide) Alternates.
In the event that a selected Delegate cannot attend the session and
there is no selected Alternate to take the Delegate's place,
Department Alternates may be contacted as late as June 24 and
invited to attend 2024 ALA CA Girls State at Sacramento State University
from Tuesday, June 25 through Sunday, June 30.
PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW EACH STEP CAREFULLY!
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1. Check the Schools Reserved for 2024 ALA CAGS to ensure that your school is not already sponsored to 2024 American Legion Auxiliary CA Girls State. Only one student is allowed to represent the school at ALA CA Girls State.
2. Download the 2024 Department Alternate Information Packet.
a. Ensure that you comply with each requirement listed on page 1.
b. Complete page 3, Department Alternate Information Sheet.
i. You will NOT need to upload this Delegate/Alternate Information Sheet.
ii. The Department Alternate Information Sheet has information required in the online application.
iii. Completing the Department Alternate Information Sheet will quicken the online application process.
3. Review the Code of Conduct and ensure that you attest to each statement.
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4. Download the Alternate Parent/Guardian Packet.
​a. Read the entire Parent/Guardian Packet carefully.
b. If you are selected as a Delegate, these forms will be emailed to you for electronic signature.
i. You will NOT need to print and sign the signature forms in this packet.
ii. This packet is for your reference only.
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5. Prepare a photo of yourself (headshot) to upload.
a. The file must be an image file less than 1 MB.
b. A selfie headshot will work well.
c. The picture may be used on a slide during opening ceremonies or other social media announcements.
d. The picture is primarily used to help staff remember names of students assigned to their city.
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6. Be sure the photo for upload can be accessed on the device you will use to complete the online application.
a. Some devices issued by school districts will not allow you to complete the online application. You may need to use a personal device or a computer at a public library.
b. If you took your headshot on your phone, you may email that picture to yourself so that you can access the file for upload on the device you will use to complete the online application.
c. Most phones will allow you to choose to use the original file size or a smaller file size when you email the picture to yourself. Choose the smaller file size so that each file is less than 1 MB. Please note that the stated file size may be rounded down to 1MB when it is actually more than 1MB.
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7. If you do not have a personal email address (not a school email address) already, create one.
a. If you would like to use a gmail.com email address as your personal email address, you can create a gmail.com email address when you create a Google Account in the next step.
b. Please do not use an icloud.com email address. That domain has not accepted our bulk emails in the past.
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8. If you do not already have a Google Account, create one here.
a. If you have a gmail.com email address, you already have a Google Account.
b. When you create a Google Account, you are given an option to create a Gmail email address or use your current email address. If you already have a personal email address that you would like to use, click the blue "Use my current email address instead" link.
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9. Sign out of any Google Account associated with a school address on the device you will use to complete the online application.
a. When you go to google.com, if you see an icon in the upper right corner of the screen and click on it, there should be only your personal Google Account listed.
i. Any other account listed should have "Signed out" appearing next to it.
ii. If your school email account is listed, even if it is not the primary icon, you may not be able to complete the online application.
(1) Scroll to the bottom of the listed accounts and choose "Sign out of all accounts".
(2) Then sign into only the Google Account associated with your personal email address.
b. The online application form is accepting responses. If you receive a message that the form is no longer accepting responses, you likely are also signed into a Google Account associated with a school email address.
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10. Complete the 2024 Department Alternate Application for ALA CA Girls State.
a. Please note that responses to the essay questions at the end of Section 16 may be evaluated to determine the order in which applicants are contacted should a vacancy arise.
b. Proximity to the school of the previously selected delegate and sponsoring American Legion Auxiliary Unit may also be a consideration.
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11. If you get a "Server rejected" error when attempting to upload files, please check your Google Drive storage.
a. Go to drive.google.com.
b. Look on the left side of the page for a cloud icon and "Storage".
c. Make sure you have available storage space for the files you need to upload for the online application.
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12. If you continue to get an error message, please do the following:
a. Sign out of all Google Accounts on the computer.
b. Clear the cache and the cookies.
c. Reboot the computer.
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13. Your online application has NOT been submitted until you receive the confirmation page.
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14. If you have any questions regarding any of the forms, please email American Legion Auxiliary California Department Girls State Chairperson, Allyn Kau, at alacagschair@gmail.com or call or text her at (562) 444-8296. The American Legion Auxiliary is organized into Units (local organization), Districts (counties), and Departments (state). Please allow 5-7 business days for responses. This volunteer is handling inquiries from throughout the state and processing applications for delegates, 1st alternates, and 2nd alternates from over 500 schools.
16. We encourage selected candidates to take the initiative to contact the ALA Department Girls State Chairperson rather than parents making inquiries on their behalf in order to develop skills that will help them during the ALA CA Girls State session and beyond with college applications and job interviews. We welcome questions from parents about the program, especially if there are issues selected candidates cannot address themselves.
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