The American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State are summer leadership and citizenship programs for high school juniors, which focus on exploring the mechanics of American government and politics. The programs are sponsored by the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary respectively. Boys and girls are usually nominated by their high school during their junior year. Boys and Girls State programs both began in 1937 and are held in each of the U.S. states , usually at a college within that state. There is also a coed Boys/Girls State session held in Washington, D.C. In general, male and female programs are held separately, but at least nine states—Georgia, Nebraska, Oregon, California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Isl and Missouri—host Boys and Girls State on the same campus on the same week.