Every young woman who applies to ALA Michigan Girls State deserves the chance to attend — and you can make that happen.
The 85th Session of ALA Michigan Girls State runs June 14–20, 2026, at Michigan State University in East Lansing. This week-long program empowers high school juniors to find their voice, understand how government works, and discover what they are truly capable of. For many young women, it is the experience that shapes the rest of their lives.
For students in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, there is an added challenge — distance. East Lansing is hundreds of miles away, and the cost of travel can put this opportunity out of reach for families who want to participate but simply cannot afford it.
That is where you come in.
Two Ways You Can Help
- Sponsor a Student’s Registration
Your donation helps cover the program fees for a young woman from your UP community who has applied but needs financial assistance to attend. Every dollar goes directly toward making sure a deserving student gets her seat at Girls State.
- Help Cover the Cost of the Bus
We are organizing transportation to get UP students to East Lansing and back. A donation toward the bus fund means no student has to miss out simply because of the miles between her home and MSU.
You can do one or both — every contribution makes a difference.
Who Can Donate?
ALA Units
Your unit has the power to sponsor students right from your own community. This is one of the most direct ways to fulfill our mission of empowering the next generation of women leaders. Download the appropriate form below and mail it in before the deadline.
Individuals
If you believe in investing in young women — if you remember a program or a moment that shaped who you became — this is your opportunity to give that to someone else. A sponsorship from an individual donor is just as meaningful as one from an organization.
Businesses
Sponsoring a Girls State student is a direct investment in the future leaders of your Upper Peninsula community. These are the young women who will go on to lead businesses, serve in local government, and give back to the places they grew up.
Donations made through the Michigan American Legion Foundation are tax-deductible under 501(c)(3). This is the giving option available to businesses and individuals who want to maximize the impact of their contribution.
Download the Donation Forms
There are two forms available depending on how you would like your donation processed:
Option 1 — Tax-Deductible Donation (501(c)(3)
Make your check payable to: The Michigan American Legion Foundation
Note in the memo line: ALA Girls State
➡️ Download the TAL Foundation Donation Form
Option 2 — Direct Donation to ALA Department of Michigan
Make your check payable to: ALA, Department of Michigan
Note in the memo line: ALA Girls State
➡️ Download the ALA Department Donation Form
Mail your completed form and check to:
American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Michigan
212 N. Verlinden Avenue, Suite B
Lansing, MI 48915
Questions?
Contact Beryl Robbins — Girls State Committee
📞 313-318-6845
✉️ berylrobbins1980@gmail.com
Beryl and the Girls State Committee are happy to answer any questions about the sponsorship process, what the program involves, or how your donation will be used.
About ALA Michigan Girls State
ALA Michigan Girls State has been empowering young Michigan women for 85 sessions. Held each summer at Michigan State University, the program places high school juniors in a simulated government experience where they run for office, debate legislation, and learn firsthand how democracy works. Delegates leave with leadership skills, lifelong friendships, and a deeper connection to their communities and country.
The program is run by the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Michigan and depends on the generous support of units, individuals, and community partners across the state.
Learn more at michalaux.org/girls-state
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