CONWAY, Ark. — Arkansas Boys State will welcome 580 students from 198 schools and 225 ZIP codes to the University of Central Arkansas in Conway for its 85th annual session, held May 24-29, 2026. The program kicked off Sunday.
Sponsored by The American Legion Department of Arkansas, Arkansas Boys State is a week-long civics education and leadership experience for male high school juniors. Throughout the week, delegates will move beyond the classroom to experience democracy in action by building a working model of city, county, district and state government from the ground up.
“Arkansas Boys State gives students the chance to practice citizenship, leadership and public service in a way that is active, challenging and deeply personal,” said Lloyd Jackson, executive director of Arkansas Boys State. “Delegates do not simply learn about government during the week. Rather, they run for office, serve their communities, debate policy, solve problems and discover what it means to lead for the common good.”
Upon arrival, delegates are assigned to political parties, cities and counties. From there, they participate in elections, form local governments, draft and debate legislation, address municipal challenges, engage constituents and take part in discussions on political, social, historical and cultural issues. The program’s guiding theme, “Democracy Depends on Me,” encourages students to see civic responsibility as something they practice through their own decisions, relationships and leadership.
The 2026 session will also include Arkansas Boys State’s Schools of Instruction, where delegates explore areas such as public administration, commerce, public service, journalism, media, law, society and the arts. Students will also take part in daily flag ceremonies, recreation, speech and debate, band, choir, chapel, talent programming and keynote sessions with civic, business, political, judicial and community leaders.
Delegates will hear from and engage with several public officials and leaders throughout the week, including U.S. Rep. French Hill on Sunday, May 24; members of the Boys State Caucus on Wednesday, May 27; Associate Justice Courtney Hudson and former Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday, May 28; and Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester on Friday, May 29.
A signature part of the week will be Capitol Day on Friday, May 29, when delegates travel to the Arkansas State Capitol. Student representatives and senators will convene in the House and Senate chambers, constitutional officers will report to their respective offices, and delegates will participate in civic programming at the Capitol. The day will include a welcome on the Capitol steps by Secretary of State Cole Jester, House and Senate convenings, a college fair, a Capitol Day scavenger hunt and a debate tournament.
“Students leave Arkansas Boys State with a stronger understanding of government, but the impact goes far beyond that,” Jackson said. “They leave with new friendships, greater confidence in communicating their views, a deeper respect for people with different experiences and a clearer understanding of how they can contribute to their communities.”
End-of-program survey results from Arkansas Boys State 2025 showed that 94.4% of students reported improvement in their knowledge of civic, governmental and political structures; 96.4% reported improvement in their ability to communicate their views; 94.1% reported improvement in their ability to lead others toward a common goal; and 95% reported improvement in their ability to build meaningful relationships with people of different worldviews or experiences.
Arkansas Boys State has helped prepare more than 60,000 alumni for lives of citizenship, service and leadership since its founding in 1940. Notable alumni include President Bill Clinton, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former White House Chiefs of Staff Mack McLarty and Jack Watson Jr., U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton and John Boozman, and Arkansas Chief Justice John Dan Kemp.
Two outstanding delegates from Arkansas Boys State 2026 will be elected by their peers to represent Arkansas at The American Legion Boys Nation in Washington, D.C., where they will join students from across the country for a national-level civic experience focused on the federal government.
More information about Arkansas Boys State is available at arboysstate.org.
