About 400 Kansas high school seniors are expected to attend the 64th annual American Legion Auxiliary Kansas Sunflower Girls State from Sunday through June 9 at Kansas University.

Delegates will focus on a weeklong study of government and national patriotic traditions.

Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh will speak at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Lied Center.

The program also includes a visit from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and talks by Judge G. Joseph Pierron, Kansas Court of Appeals; Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence; Rep. Patricia Kilpatrick, R-Overland Park; Sandy Praeger, Kansas insurance commissioner; and Norma Swanson, president of the Kansas Department of the American Legion Auxiliary.

Mary Christine Banwart, KU assistant professor of communication studies, will teach “Women in Politics,” an optional one-hour credit course coordinated by KU Continuing Education. Banwart also will speak to all delegates at 7 p.m. Monday during the evening assembly program.