Juniors

Juniors Needed Department-Wide!

This year, we need any interested juniors to participate at the Unit level and report their participation. We are also looking for any Juniors who would like to become our Junior Officers for the year 2026-2027.

Junior Activities

Purpose: The purpose of the Junior Activities Committee is to inspire active participation in members aged 17 and under so they become engaging, productive members who will want to continue their American Legion Auxiliary membership into adulthood.

Inspire active participation in members aged 17 and under so they will become engaging, productive members who will want to continue their American Legion Auxiliary membership into adulthood.

• Mission-related:
  • Distribute poppies with assistance from senior members.
  • Organize and participate in service projects.
  • Offer computer/technology help to veterans with assistance from senior members.
  • Offer help to military families and help military kids entering a new school.
• Leadership training:
  • Shadow senior member officers at meetings and hold an appropriate unit office.
  • Post colors at senior meetings, conferences, and conventions.
  • Lead opening ceremonies (the Pledge, prayers, National Anthem, ALA Preamble).
  • Shadow senior chairmen and assist with their program plans.
  • Promote the ALA scholarship benefits of remaining a member.
  • Encourage Juniors to attend their ALA Girls State program the summer between their junior and senior years of high school.

Build the Junior Activities program, one member at a time, by giving Junior members a voice and opportunity to participate. 

• Plan mission-related activities that are interesting and inspiring to Juniors.
• Participate in Wreaths Across America wreath-laying ceremonies.
• Hold graduation ceremonies to recognize Juniors who will move to ALA senior membership status.
• Pay the first year of senior membership to encourage retention.
• Share information about the ALA’s scholarship programs
  • Junior Member Loyalty Scholarship
  • Spirit of Youth
  • Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship
  • Samsung Scholarships
• Pair older Juniors with less experienced Juniors to promote mentorship.

Promote and encourage Junior participation in the ALA’s national Junior Member of the Year award.

• There will now be five division Junior Members of the Year.
• From those five division winners, a national Junior Member of the Year will be chosen.
• Four division winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship. The national winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship, plus be invited to the ALA’s National Convention.
• This scholarship is to reward ALA Junior members who are contributing to the organization and our mission, with a long-term goal of increasing Junior participation.

Promote and encourage Junior participation in the ALA Patch Program to teach them about the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary. 

• Work on the Patch Program at unit meetings. Including senior members to educate Juniors about the importance of participation in the Patch Program, and as a way for Juniors to learn about ALA programs.
• Provide year (1st, 2nd, 3rd) attachments to Juniors who have achieved a patch at the same level for more than one year.
• Work with Sons of the American Legion (SAL) squadron leaders to inform them of the opportunity for young SAL members to participate in the ALA Patch Program.

Make Junior meetings fun and informative. 

• Explore mission service and how it can impact our mission at each meeting.
• Encourage friendships and mentoring by planning fun team-building activities (games, learning Junior songs, etc.) and/or providing age-appropriate crafts.
• Highlight the numerous ALA learning opportunities available to members in the ALA Academy.

Deadlines/Important Dates

• April 15: Purple Up! Day for Military Children
• May 15: Department chairmen’s reports due to division chairmen, cc: national chairman
• June 1: Awards submissions due, including Junior Member of the Year
• August 1-15: Honorary National Junior Division Vice President elections. Open to any Junior who attended a national Junior meeting. Winners will be announced at the National Convention.