Eligibility Qualifications
High school juniors are selected by local American Legion Posts to attend the program. In most cases, expenses associated with attending this program are paid by a sponsoring American Legion post, a local business or another community-based organization.
- Only young men, who have successfully completed their junior year of high school and have at least one semester of high school remaining, are eligible.
- Home schooled boys are eligible provided they meet these qualifications: Home School Qualifications
- Any boy who has previously attended a Boys State is not eligible to attend a second session.
- Outstanding qualities of leadership, character, scholarship, loyalty and service to their schools and community are considered.
- The applicant should exhibit an interest in the governmental process.
- The applicant will have above average scholastic standing.
- The prospective delegate and their parents must be residents of the state of Virginia.
- A delegate who turns 18 years of age before the final day of The Virginia Boys State Session MUST undergo a background check. Learn more if this applies to you.
Selection Process
- The high school counselor where eligible boys are enrolled, recommends a list of candidates to members of the local American Legion Post. Legionnaires at these posts interview the list of Boys State candidates.
- The legionnaires, Virginia Boys State representatives, select delegates for the next session and verify that all eligibility requirements listed above are met. The final candidates chosen to attend Virginia Boys State are selected by American Legion posts … not by high schools.
- Those not selected as primary delegates may become alternates if so designated by the interviewing American Legion post in cases where the primary delegate cannot attend. Alternates must meet all requirements to attend the program.
Homeschool Qualifications
Home schooling has positively impacted various youth organizations including the Virginia Boys State program. Potential home school candidates must have completed the 11th grade successfully. Juniors chosen, have one more year of school remaining (or at least one more semester), in which to serve as leaders in their high schools and communities.
The American Legion’s National Americanism Commission as well as the American Legion Department of Virginia have established certain qualifications for prospective Boys State citizens. These two organizations work within the respective program guidelines to ensure compliance.
It is the responsibility of the home schooler’s parents to contact the local American Legion Post when nominees are selected from their respective high schools, homeschools and private schools. Further, it is the responsibility of the said parents to set an interview during the dates and times set forth by the local American Legion Post‘s Boys State committee.
Under no circumstances will a homeschooler be accepted at Virginia Boys State without first having his eleventh-grade courses and unity completed and acknowledged by his parent or guardian.
A homeschooler is defined as a student who is not enrolled full time in a public or private school, and is usually taught at home by a parent or by a group of parents who teach with either an academic-oriented curriculum or a religious-based curriculum.
Admittance Procedures for Homeschoolers and/or Religious-based Homeschoolers to Attend Boys State
The parent must indicate to the American Legion local Adjutant or Boys State Chairman that the student has successfully completed 11th grade (or will successfully complete 11th grade by the start of Boys State session at the latest), as a student in good standing in compliance with Virginia Codes, § 22.1-254. Compulsory attendance required; excuses and waivers; alternative education program attendance; exemptions from article. and § 22.1-254.1. Declaration of policy; requirements for home instruction of children. A copy of the parent’s Notification of Intent to Provide Home Instruction form or religious exemption acknowledgement letter from the school board is required.
The parents of the home-schooled applicant can present the document to the local post Commander or Adjutant. Names of these Legionnaires can be obtained by contacting the Homeschool Coordinator Joe Adair at (757) 775-3487 or homeschool@vaboysstate.org.
American Legion Interviews of Homeschool Applicants
It is the responsibility of home school parents to find out when the local American Legion Post will be interviewing Boys State nominees from the local high schools. All Boys State nominees are interviewed by some forum and home schoolers must compete in this process at the specified time.
All delegates selected to attend Boys State have their tuition paid for by a variety of sponsors; these include the American Legion, public and private schools, fraternal, business, civic groups and others. Home schoolers, if selected to attend, receive the same tuition as those from other schools.
The final selection of all Boys State delegates is determined by each individual American Legion post, judging the merits of every invited candidate.
Homeschool Qualifications [PDF]
Districts and Chairperson Contact Info
Locate your hometown, city or county to determine your district. Contact your district chairperson for the rest of the application process. Each district has a unique process so be sure to contact the correct chairperson.
Click on the image for a larger version.
| Virginia Boys State Registrar | Contact Phone | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Denis Confer (57) | registrar@vaboysstate.org | (757) 403-4261 | |
| District Chairperson | Hometown | District | Contact Phone |
| Bill Stramm (56) | Cape Charles | 1 | (703) 967-8676 |
| counties of Accomack and Northampton | |||
| Alonzo Scott (37) | Norfolk | 2 | (434) 401-8501 |
| cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach | |||
| William Chan (75) | Hampton | 3 | (541) 232-8192 |
| cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson and Williamsburg and the counties of Charles City, Gloucester, James City, Kind and Queen, Mathews, King William, New Kent and York | |||
| Denis Confer (57) | Suffolk | 4 | (757) 403-4261 |
| cities of Emporia, Franklin, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Suffolk and the counties of Dinwiddie, Greensville, Isle of Wight, Prince George, Southampton, Surry and Sussex | |||
| Thomas Queck (79) | Bracey | 5 | (434) 774-6705 |
| city of South Boston and the counties of Brunswick, Charlotte, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward | |||
| Henry Motley (29) | Danville | 6 | (434) 429-1311 |
| cities of Danville and Martinsville and the counties of Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Patrick, and Pittsylvania | |||
| Arsenius Terrill (68) | Narrows | 7 | (540) 922-6281 |
| city of Galax and the counties of Bland, Carroll, Giles, Grayson, Pulaski, Smyth and Wythe | |||
| Les Clevinger (164) | Pounding Mill | 8 | (276) 963-0743 |
| cities of Bristol and Norton and the counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, Washington and Wise | |||
| Cody Rush (59) | Riner | 9 | (540) 998-6757 |
| cities of Clifton Forge, Covington, Radford, Roanoke and Salem and the counties of Allegheny, Botetourt, Craig, Montgomery and Roanoke | |||
| Mike Gogan (16) | Huddleston | 10 | (804) 477-5487 |
| cities of Bedford and Lynchburg and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Cumberland, Nelson and Bedford | |||
| Jim Walsh (244) | Glenn Allen | 11 | (804) 928-5461 |
| cities of Colonial Heights and Richmond and the counties of Amelia, Chesterfield, Henrico and Powhatan | |||
| Johnny Baker (320) | Beaverdam | 12 | (540) 273-1544 |
| city of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, Essex, King George, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, Spotsylvania and Westmoreland | |||
| Richard Eaton (2003) | Bremo Bluff | 13 | (434) 842-6618 |
| city of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greene, Hanover, Louisa, Madison and Orange | |||
| Eddie Humes (188) | Harrisonburg | 14 | (540) 421-4434 |
| cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton and Waynesboro and the counties of Augusta, Bath, Highland, Rockingham and Rockbridge | |||
| Bill Germelman (21) | Winchester | 15 | (540) 323-0985 |
| city of Winchester and the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren | |||
| Michael Wilson (72) | Warrenton | 16 | (540) 935-4669 |
| cities of Manassas and Manassas Park and the counties of Culpeper, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Rappahannock and Stafford | |||
| Michael Kimlick (177) | Burke | 17 | (703) 328-5151 |
| cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax | |||
Info for High School Guidance Counselors
2023 Letter to Counselors from the Director [PDF]
As a high school guidance counselor, you have the vital job of identifying and nominating the most qualified students to attend Virginia Boys State. It is no exaggeration to say that this is a unique and influential experience. It is important that those nominated will be dedicated to the program and follow through with their commitment to attend the session for the entire week should they be accepted. We seek students with outstanding qualities of leadership, character, scholarship, loyalty and service to their schools and communities to attend Virginia Boys State.
Nomination Guidelines
- Form a committee of administrators, counselors, teachers, and former Boys State citizens.
- Review the qualifications and selection process.
- Seek interested students by broadcasting during school announcements and/or placing information in the school bulletin or newspaper. Review lists of student leaders (e.g. honor society, student council, class officers, clubs, athletic teams, JROTC, community organizations – 4-H, Boy Scouts) to identify potential candidates.
- Consider all eligible young men in the current junior class who meet the Boys State criteria.
- Prepare a list of candidates and seek their interest and commitment to participate in the program. Each applicant must commit to attending the Boys State program in its entirety. No late arrivals or early departures will be allowed. We take no-shows and cancellations very seriously.
- Direct potential candidates to our website (https://www.vaboysstate.org) for more information.
- Schedule and hold an informational presentation at your school for eligible candidates conducted by a Virginia Boys State staff member. To schedule a presentation, contact us.
- Select candidates to nominate. Qualified candidates may be ranked for consideration and recommendation to the district chairperson.
- Select alternates to nominate. Alternates will be contacted if circumstances keep a candidate selected to attend from participating in the program or as additional sponsorships are located. Always submit alternates.
- Contact your district chairperson and provide him or her with your nominations and alternates.
- The Boys State district chairperson grants the final authorization in determining which young men participate in the program.
Please do not announce or publish the list of candidates and alternates until approved by the Boys State district chairperson and confirmed by Virginia Boys State Headquarters. Verify acceptance by contacting the registrar.
Step One
For Parents and Eligible Candidates
- Using this District Chairperson Locator, approach the person listed to indicate your interest in attending Boys State.
- Your District Chairperson will guide you through the rest of the application process which includes his or her submission of the sponsorship application [PDF] (updated 10/05/2023).
- Be sure to read about our selection process.
For Delegate Sponsors — American Legion post personnel and high school counselor only
- Submit an Application for Sponsorship [PDF] (updated 10/05/2023) along with the application fee ($500.00 per delegate).
- Money that accompanies the Application for Sponsorship must be sent to the Registrar prior to registration (in step two).
- The Registrar will send you unique registration numbers for your candidates along with the username/password needed to register delegates online.
Step Two
Only Legion Post Boys State chairpersons and in some cases, high school guidance counselors, are authorized to complete online registration.
Click on the “Register Delegates” button and enter the username/password sent to you by the Registrar (credentials are provided after payment is received).
Upon successful registration, you will see a confirmation page, and a receipt for each delegate registered is sent to the email address used for the post representative.
Sponsorship Information — Program Fee
A sponsorship covers the program fee (plus transportation in districts providing a bus).
Sponsorship of Boys State participants must be undertaken by The American Legion Post or another civic, service, or fraternal organization, or business in your community. Sponsorships may also be funded by the school, PTO/PTA, or student organization. INDIVIDUAL OR PARENTAL SPONSORSHIPS ARE NOT PERMITTED. Neither the candidate nor the parent/guardian may pay any portion of the program fee or transportation fee and are not required to make any deposit or financial guarantee prior to being accepted to Virginia Boys State.
Most high schools have established lines of communication with their local American Legion Post or other qualified sponsoring organizations. If not, we urge you to contact your local American Legion Post or contact us for more information about sponsorships.
If you do not have sponsorships for your candidates, please let us know. We are ready to assist in finding qualified sponsors.
Delegates Who Turn 18 During the Session
A delegate who turns 18 years of age before the final day of The Virginia Boys State Session MUST undergo a background check.
If the delegate fails to complete the background check, he will not be able to participate and will be turned away at registration.
The cost of the background process is $14.75, and will be refunded by The American Legion Boys State of
Virginia (ALBS). Coordinate with ALBS Treasurer, Larry Greene, to receive a refund covering the expense.
