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Summer Programs:

Harding Honors Symposium
Honors Symposium is a two-week academic program on the Searcy campus designed to challenge, encourage, and uplift high school students who are now in their junior year (students graduating in the class of 2018). 
Honors Symposium is a life-changing journey where students from all across the nation come together for the purpose of growing spiritually and academically. This is accomplished by daily engagement with our finest university professors and mentoring with some of our top university student counselors. Students learn about the world in which we live and how each of us fits into the world as Christians. This goal is achieved through stimulating academic classes and fun activities designed to develop group bonding and sharing. We intend to enrich the spirit and expand the mind of each student participant in Honors Symposium.
Three hours of university credit are awarded to all who successfully complete the program. This credit is transferable to the college or university of the participant's choice. The course content is designed to appeal to students of both the humanities and the sciences. At Harding, Symposium credit may be applied to one of the following courses:
English 201 or 202
History 101, 102, 110 or 111
Art 101
Music 101
Theater 101
Go to http://www.harding.edu/events/symposium for application and more information!

Arkansas Girls State
What is ALA Girls State? The American Legion Auxiliary’s marquee Girls State program, first presented in 1937, is one of the most respected and coveted experiential learning programs presented in the United States. The program epitomizes the American Legion Auxiliary’s mission to honor those who have brought us our freedom through our enduring commitment and to develop young women as future leaders grounded in patriotism and Americanism. The young women become knowledgeable of the democratic process and how our republic form of government works at the state and national levels. Each summer, approximately 20,000 young women throughout the nation participate in week long ALA Girls State programs. Every American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program operates with the same patriotic values through a nonpartisan curriculum where students assume the roles of government leaders, campaigning as “Federalists” and “Nationalists” to become mayors and county and state officials of their own ALA Girls State. Arkansas is among the largest with over 800 young women participating each year. The program is a week long immersive learning experience held on a college campus where girls live in “cities” within the dormitory. The learning, experience, memories, and friendships last a lifetime.
Go to arkansasgirlsstate.com for more information and an application!

​Arkansas Boys State
Arkansas Boys State is an immersive program in civics education designed for high school juniors. For over 75 years the weeklong camp has shaped the lives of notable leaders such as Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong, President Bill Clinton, Basketball Super Star Michael Jordan, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, News Anchor Tom Brokaw, and current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Upon arrival at a Boys State, each participant is assigned a mock political party, city, and county. Throughout the week, delegates administrate this mock government as if it were the real government. Every phase of the program includes practical instruction on the duties and responsibilities both of a citizen and of public officials. Citizens of a "Boys State" are instructed in the duties of the various public offices. After they learn the function of each office, its powers and limitations, they function in that role throughout the remaining week. 

The "citizens" of each "Boys State" city and county nominate members of their individual parties to be candidates for the various city and county offices. Elections are held with the citizens conducting their own registration of voters and the actual balloting. Election boards serve at city, county and state elections, according to the laws of each state.

Legislative, administrative and judicial programs are developed to hold the interest of all citizens. State legislative sessions, court trials, law and police schools, evening assemblies, bands and choral groups, etc., all involving boy citizens, are popular activities in a typical Boys State.

By week's end "Boys State" has created their own state government including their own governor and staff of state officials, named appointive officers, established the state Supreme Court and other courts, and organized the legislature and all other divisions of government

Go to www.arkansasboystate.com for more information and an application!