Junior State of America
Encyclopedia
The Junior State of America (formerly, the Junior Statesmen of America, or alternatively as the JSA) is an American
non-partisan student-run youth organization. It is also the largest high school student-run organization in the country. The purpose of the JSA is to help high school students acquire leadership skills and the knowledge necessary to be effective debaters and political members. The JSA is sponsored by the Junior Statesmen Foundation Inc. (“JSF,” a 501c(3) non-profit corporation), which also operates the JSA Summer Schools.
JSA is both a local and a national organization. The JSA is organized by regions, somewhat congruous with the real geographic United States regions. At the high school chapter level, chapter presidents organize local activities and meetings. On the state level, "governors
" and "lieutenant governors
" organize overnight conventions and other activities. On the national level, governors are in communication with each other planning convention themes and steering the direction of the organization. This national power has no judicial
or legislative
checks and balances.
The JSA program includes debates, “thought talks”, problem solving, and a variety of simulations designed to provide members with an informed viewpoint and the ability to analyse important issues. Simulations include, for example, model United Nations
, model Congress
(with a Senate
and House of Representatives
), crisis simulations, and other activities. JSA provides an opportunity to meet other students from outside their home communities who share similar interests; furthermore, debate conventions usually include various evening activities like dining downtown or impromptu debate
.
In addition to sponsoring the JSA, the JSF sponsors three- and four-week Summer School sessions for JSA members and other high school students. These are held at Princeton
, Stanford
, and Georgetown
and week-long symposium on state and local politics are held in several states. (In years past, JSF has held Summer School sessions at Yale
, Northwestern University
, University of Texas at Austin
, University of California, Davis
and University of California, Santa Cruz
). Sessions include college-level courses on political science, economics, history and public speaking. Students from all over the world, (most notably England, France, Turkey, Micronesia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Hong Kong) attend Summer School. The revenue from these programs help fund the school-year JSA program.
, California
, as an experiment in self-government. Students at the Montezuma Mountain School set up their own tree-branch government, complete with a student court, police force, executive officer, and legislative branch. The students would draft, pass, and enforce their own rules.
The JSA has had liaisons with other similar organizations outside of the United States. For example, throughout the 1980s the Pacific-Northwest State developed close ties with the British Columbia Youth Parliament
(BCYP). "Ambassadors" were invited from the Pacific-Northwest State to attend the December BCYP legislative session in Victoria, British Columbia
, as well a number of BCYP sponsored events, including the "Vernon
Conference" held in 1985, a project to celebrate the U.N.
International Year of the Youth
, involving the BCYP, the TUXIS Parliament of Alberta
, and the JSA. In turn, the BCYP would send delegates to attend Pacific-Northwest Spring and Fall State. The Southern California state also added the American School in Honduras as a chapter in 2006 and the school's chapter attended the annual Congress convention. There are two active chapters in St. Kitts and St. Thomas, USVI. Puerto Rico has traditionally one or two chapters. All Caribbean chapters attend either the Northeast State or Mid-Atlantic State conventions. After 2008 Georgetown Summer School, it has been strongly rumored that a chapter will be started at the American School in Hong Kong.
Since its inception in 1934, more than 500,000 student members have participated in the JSA. Former members include Mike McCurry (press secretary under Bill Clinton), Edwin Meese
(Attorney General under Reagan), and businessman Charles Schwab
.
The current top-level branches of JSA are:
When a state becomes too large, the Council of Governors (the national executive branch, consisting of the governor from every state) as well as the legislative branch of the state-at-hand can break the state into two or more parts. The parts that break off of the state are known as territories, and gain statehood upon reaching a certain number of constituents and approval of the Council of Governors. JSA also includes an international chapter in Tegucigalpa
, Honduras
and the United States Virgin Islands.
In addition, substructures of states are regions, such as in the Mid-Atlantic State with the New Jersey Region (NJR) and South Atlantic Region (SAR).
The sponsoring JSF is a non-profit organization
with an adult board of directors
, trustees and paid staff. The JSA receives administrative and programming support from the JSF.
(in attendance by telephone), Snoop Dogg
, and William J. Perry, former Secretary of Defense under Bill Clinton (94-97). Speakers at Mid-Atlantic, and more recently the Pacific Coast, Region Conventions include Ralph Nader.
Once elected, elected officials will need to appoint a "Cabinet
" to help run the organization. Prospective cabinet members must complete an application to be considered for a position. In some states, cabinet members need to be approved by the Senate or State Assembly. These appointments range from Convention Coordinator, Director of Debate, CIA Director and other varying positions such as Debate officers, CIA and FEC agents who facilitate communication with individual JSA chapters.
The Council of Governors (COG) is an assembly of all Governors to run JSA at the national level. The COG has the authority to determine if territories can become states. One serves on the JSF as a trustee. Unlike individual JSA states, there is no legislative check on the Council's powers.
. In those states, the Speaker is the third statewide elected executive. The Speaker presides over the State Assembly. In other states, that job defaults to the Lieutenant Governor who, in some states, appoints a President Pro-Tempore from the Assembly Representatives to jointly run the body.
A great example of a Chief of Staff is Kevin kay under Mr. Rusterholz
These programs, at which students take a full semester of two courses over three or four weeks, for which they can receive high school credit, take place at Stanford
, Georgetown
, Princeton
, and Beijing
. Along with debate and regular classes (including Advanced Placement and Law Classes), students participate in a vigorous Speaker's Program in which notable speakers talk about current issues to the students. Past speakers have included Mike McCurry, Andy Card, Lee H. Hamilton
, Norman Mineta
, Joe Trippi
, Dennis Kucinich
, Chuck Hagel
, Katie Couric
, Brian Williams
, Geraldine Ferraro
, John Kerry
, Harry Reid
, Barack Obama
, Ted Rall
, George H.W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice
, Ed Meese, William Perry
, Brian Williams
and Karl Rove
.
Summer Institute
s are also held in different regions, such as the summer symposium of Arizona State, Stanford, UCLA, Princeton University
and University of Texas. These events are four- to five-days long and venture into politics, world studies, history, national security and discussions of current events. Princeton's event is nicknamed "Princetitute." These events are formerly known as symposia
.
Every summer, the newly elected governors each choose a select few from their states or territories to attend the Montezuma National Leadership Summit (affectionately known as "Zuma"). The summit is held in early-to-mid August at Presentation Center in Los Gatos, California
, the former site of the Montezuma Mountain School where JSA was founded in 1934. Students who are selected to attend this summit learn more about the history and national dynamics of JSA. Being selected for attendance is considered one of the ultimate JSA honors, and many of the students that attend lead future years of the Junior State. Subsequently, two or three students are selected out of class to become a National Montezuma Foundation Student Advisor, working with the Junior State Foundation to preside over budget and funding allocations for the National Montezuma Summit.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
non-partisan student-run youth organization. It is also the largest high school student-run organization in the country. The purpose of the JSA is to help high school students acquire leadership skills and the knowledge necessary to be effective debaters and political members. The JSA is sponsored by the Junior Statesmen Foundation Inc. (“JSF,” a 501c(3) non-profit corporation), which also operates the JSA Summer Schools.
Overview
Students organize every aspect of the organization, from the local chapter level to the multi-state level. The members elect leaders to organize JSA conventions, conferences, and political awareness events.JSA is both a local and a national organization. The JSA is organized by regions, somewhat congruous with the real geographic United States regions. At the high school chapter level, chapter presidents organize local activities and meetings. On the state level, "governors
Governor (United States)
In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
" and "lieutenant governors
Lieutenant governor (United States)
In the United States, 43 of the 50 states have a separate, full-time office of lieutenant governor. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the governor, standing in for that officer when he or she is absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated...
" organize overnight conventions and other activities. On the national level, governors are in communication with each other planning convention themes and steering the direction of the organization. This national power has no judicial
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
or legislative
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
checks and balances.
The JSA program includes debates, “thought talks”, problem solving, and a variety of simulations designed to provide members with an informed viewpoint and the ability to analyse important issues. Simulations include, for example, model United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, model Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
(with a Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
), crisis simulations, and other activities. JSA provides an opportunity to meet other students from outside their home communities who share similar interests; furthermore, debate conventions usually include various evening activities like dining downtown or impromptu debate
Impromptu debate
Impromptu debate is a type of formalized academic debate. Representative of comedic debate, Impromptu debating is practiced at high schools, generally in tandem with other, more serious forms of debate...
.
In addition to sponsoring the JSA, the JSF sponsors three- and four-week Summer School sessions for JSA members and other high school students. These are held at Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, and Georgetown
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
and week-long symposium on state and local politics are held in several states. (In years past, JSF has held Summer School sessions at Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
and University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
). Sessions include college-level courses on political science, economics, history and public speaking. Students from all over the world, (most notably England, France, Turkey, Micronesia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Hong Kong) attend Summer School. The revenue from these programs help fund the school-year JSA program.
History
JSA was founded in 1934 by Professor E.A. Rogers at the Montezuma Mountain School in Los GatosLos Gatos, California
The Town of Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 29,413 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area at the southwest corner of San Jose in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, as an experiment in self-government. Students at the Montezuma Mountain School set up their own tree-branch government, complete with a student court, police force, executive officer, and legislative branch. The students would draft, pass, and enforce their own rules.
The JSA has had liaisons with other similar organizations outside of the United States. For example, throughout the 1980s the Pacific-Northwest State developed close ties with the British Columbia Youth Parliament
British Columbia Youth Parliament
The British Columbia Youth Parliament is a youth service organization that operates in the guise of a "parliament" in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The BCYP fulfills its motto of "Youth Serving Youth" by means of "legislation" enacting community service projects and other...
(BCYP). "Ambassadors" were invited from the Pacific-Northwest State to attend the December BCYP legislative session in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, as well a number of BCYP sponsored events, including the "Vernon
Vernon, British Columbia
Vernon is a city in the south-central region of British Columbia, Canada. Named after Forbes George Vernon, a former MLA of British Columbia who helped found the famed Coldstream Ranch, the City of Vernon was incorporated on December 30, 1892. The City of Vernon has a population of 35,944 , while...
Conference" held in 1985, a project to celebrate the U.N.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
International Year of the Youth
International Youth Year
The year 1985 was proclaimed by the United Nations as the International Youth Year, or IYY. It was held to focus attention on issues of concern to and relating to youth. The proclamation was signed on January 1, 1985 by United Nations Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar.-Events:Throughout the...
, involving the BCYP, the TUXIS Parliament of Alberta
TUXIS Parliament of Alberta
The TUXIS Parliament of Alberta is one of a number of provincial model youth parliaments that has its origins in the "boys work" movement of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. TUXIS originally met under the name “Alberta Older Boy's Parliament”. The Alberta Older Boy's Parliament added...
, and the JSA. In turn, the BCYP would send delegates to attend Pacific-Northwest Spring and Fall State. The Southern California state also added the American School in Honduras as a chapter in 2006 and the school's chapter attended the annual Congress convention. There are two active chapters in St. Kitts and St. Thomas, USVI. Puerto Rico has traditionally one or two chapters. All Caribbean chapters attend either the Northeast State or Mid-Atlantic State conventions. After 2008 Georgetown Summer School, it has been strongly rumored that a chapter will be started at the American School in Hong Kong.
Since its inception in 1934, more than 500,000 student members have participated in the JSA. Former members include Mike McCurry (press secretary under Bill Clinton), Edwin Meese
Edwin Meese
Edwin "Ed" Meese, III is an attorney, law professor, and author who served in official capacities within the Ronald Reagan Gubernatorial Administration , the Reagan Presidential Transition Team , and the Reagan White House , eventually rising to hold the position of the 75th Attorney General of...
(Attorney General under Reagan), and businessman Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab may refer to:*Charles M. Schwab , American steel magnate*Charles R. Schwab , founder of the eponymous brokerage*Charles Schwab Corp., an American based brokerage firm...
.
Structure
For practical purposes, the JSA is broken down into 10 different tree-level branches. Most of these top-level branches are called States, others are Territories, and more are Regions. States are the most advanced and contain the most members, then territories, and then regions. When a region contains a pre-specified number of chapters and members, it may petition the Council of Governors (composed of the Governors from all States) to become a territory. When a territory attains a certain number of members and chapters, it may petition the Council of Governors for statehood.The current top-level branches of JSA are:
- Northern California State
- Northeast State
- Mid-Atlantic State Whose chief of staff is Kevin Kay
- Southeast State
- Midwest State
- Ohio River Valley State
- Texas State
- Pacific-Northwest State
- Southern California State
- Arizona Provisional Territory
When a state becomes too large, the Council of Governors (the national executive branch, consisting of the governor from every state) as well as the legislative branch of the state-at-hand can break the state into two or more parts. The parts that break off of the state are known as territories, and gain statehood upon reaching a certain number of constituents and approval of the Council of Governors. JSA also includes an international chapter in Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
and the United States Virgin Islands.
In addition, substructures of states are regions, such as in the Mid-Atlantic State with the New Jersey Region (NJR) and South Atlantic Region (SAR).
The sponsoring JSF is a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
with an adult board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
, trustees and paid staff. The JSA receives administrative and programming support from the JSF.
Fall and spring state conventions
Fall and Spring State are state-wide overnight conventions at regional hotels and convention centers. Both consist of debates, thought talks, and special activities, including political fairs and a casual dance. Fall State is one night, students typically arrive at the hotel on a Saturday and return home the following day. Spring State, by comparison, usually takes place over three days, students arriving at the hotel on a Friday and returning on Sunday. At this longer spring convention JSA members in attendance elect regional leaders for the upcoming year. Both Fall and Spring State conventions are highlighted by prestigious keynote speakers. Past speakers at the Northern California State's Conventions include Stanley "Tookie" WilliamsStanley Williams
Stanley Tookie Williams III was the co-founder of the Crips, a notorious American street gang which had its roots in South Central Los Angeles in 1969. In 1979 he was convicted of four murders committed in the course of robberies, sentenced to death, and eventually executed...
(in attendance by telephone), Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, and William J. Perry, former Secretary of Defense under Bill Clinton (94-97). Speakers at Mid-Atlantic, and more recently the Pacific Coast, Region Conventions include Ralph Nader.
Winter Congress convention
Winter Congress is structured more like an actual Congress: students are divided into Senate and House of Representative committees. Past speakers have included Joe Trippi, former Congressman Bob Barr, Senator Orrin Hatch, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, His Excellency Imad Moustapha (Syrian Ambassador to the United States), and Qubad Talabani (Son of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani)Regional conferences
There are also smaller, regional conferences and mini-conferences ("minicons") which occur on a local level. Regionals are run by the Mayors and Vice-Mayors of Regions along with the Regional Cabinet members that they appoint. Minicons are usually hosted by chapters at individual schools and are not officially JSA-sponsored events.The Chapters
The most local level of the JSA structure is the individual chapter. A chapter is defined by the Junior State of America as a school with eight or more high-school students that are tax paid ($10 tax), and have had a chapter constitution approved by JSA. A chapter will have meetings at their school in between conventions during the year that can include everything from debates, thought talks, chapter quiz bowl, and other political activities.Elected positions and cabinet
As a student-run organization, the JSA leadership consists of students elected to the various JSA offices. Elections occur each year at the Spring State convention and are major events. Races are regulated by a Fair Elections Committee (FEC) that sets spending limits and regulates campaigning.Once elected, elected officials will need to appoint a "Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
" to help run the organization. Prospective cabinet members must complete an application to be considered for a position. In some states, cabinet members need to be approved by the Senate or State Assembly. These appointments range from Convention Coordinator, Director of Debate, CIA Director and other varying positions such as Debate officers, CIA and FEC agents who facilitate communication with individual JSA chapters.
State top officials
The State elected officials (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker) lead the top-level branches of JSA.Governor
The position of governor is the highest elected position in JSA. The governor has the job of appointing and managing a state cabinet that gets work done at the JSA state level.The Council of Governors (COG) is an assembly of all Governors to run JSA at the national level. The COG has the authority to determine if territories can become states. One serves on the JSF as a trustee. Unlike individual JSA states, there is no legislative check on the Council's powers.
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor is second-in-command to the Governor, and generally runs the Fair Elections Committee (FEC). In Southern California, the Lieutenant Governor has the option of appointing an FEC head. In some states, the Lieutenant Governor is also in charge of the Senate, State Assembly, and/or the Regional Expansion Committee.Speaker
The position of Speaker exists only in the states of Northern California, Southern California, and TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In those states, the Speaker is the third statewide elected executive. The Speaker presides over the State Assembly. In other states, that job defaults to the Lieutenant Governor who, in some states, appoints a President Pro-Tempore from the Assembly Representatives to jointly run the body.
Convention Coordinator
The Convention Coordinator (CC) controls all three annual conventions and is responsible for planning events and logistical organization that ensure overall success of conventions. The CC is also in charge of making sure that convention staff are up-to-date and is getting their job done. The CC also must write the agenda for the conventions with limited oversight from the JSA paid staff.State/Regional Liaison
The Liaison serves as both the supervisor and the primary resource for the state's regional officials in regards to conferences/conventions and mediates/advocates on behalf of both state and regional officials.Treasurer
The Treasurer's responsibility is threefold. First and foremost, the Treasurer is personally responsible for ensuring that all dues are paid by all chapters attending conferences. Because JSA is non-profit, it is absolutely crucial that every dollar be paid on time. Next, the Treasurer works with the Director of Expansion to recruit new chapters and revive old chapters. Finally, the Treasurer is responsible for fundraising, either individually or with the Director of Fundraising. It is important to note that the Treasurer is not allowed to directly handle students' money; he or she only has access to financial records of who has paid and who has not.Director of Debate
In some states the Director of Debate (DoD) works in conjunction with the CC. The DoD drafts debate resolutions, thought talks, and other activities with oversight from Cabinet. The DoD is also responsible for signing up speakers for the conventions. In some states however, the DoD is totally independent of the Convention Department and, thus, serves as an equal peer of the CC, such as in the Ohio River Valley, Texas, Northern California, Southern California, or Pacific Northwest states. In such states such as Texas, Northern California, and Pacific Northwest the DoD may have their own cabinet, consisting of deputy directors, debate officers, etc.Director of Moderating
The Director of Moderating (DoM)—also called the parliamentarian—works closely with the DoD and the DoTT. The DoM chooses moderators for debates based on that moderator's previous abilities. They are responsible for the quality of moderators portrayed at any convention where they chooses the moderators. . In some states such as Texas, the DoM works under the DoD and is only responsible for the training of moderators chosen by the DoD. Yet again, in other states such as the Mid Atlantic (MAS), the position of parliamentarian has been eliminated.Director of Logistics
The DoL's responsibility is to ensure that people get where they need to go efficiently, safely, and quickly. Often, they are responsible for moving around up to 1200 delegates within the confines of a large convention center or hotel. The DoL (for those States that have Winter Congress in Washington, DC) is also responsible for moving all of the delegates from hotels in Crystal City to the Dirkson and Hart Senate Office Buildings, and afterwards, must often move the masses of delegates to the Capitol Building to hear more speakers.Director of Technology
The DoT's job is to maintain the state website and help improve and maintain the technological infrastructure at both state council meetings and at conventions. They take on the task of creating a new layout for the site each new year and serve as an essential component of PR. Each DoT is also part of a National Council of Technologists. This is the only other national level JSA cabinet other than Council of Governors.Director of Fundraising
The DoF's job is to gather ideas and organize fundraising events. This whole purpose is to help others schools that are in need of money and ideas. It is also the DoF that gathers the money made in the process, and uses the money to help schools who do not have the financial needs to be able to attend one of the large JSA conventions.Director of Mini Conventions
The DoMC works closely with the expansion portion of the cabinet in order to help raise awareness of a powerful form of fundraising. Mini Conventions bring in large revenue, and it is the DoMC's job to organize, plan, and execute the Mini Conventions. It is also the DoMC's job to answer questions upon decisions, and to make sure that the event is most profitable for the schools hosting a Mini Convention.Quiz Master
The Quiz Master is in charge of putting on a Quiz Bowl at the state conventions and usually works autonomously within the Convention Department. In Texas for example, the Quiz Bowl is split into two parts, the preliminaries which are given in a paper test format. The top three teams move on to a Jeopardy-Style final to determine a winner.Secretary of the Council of Chapter Presidents
The COCP is group of chapter presidents that go to one meeting at every convention to discuss the on goings of their chapter and problems that they face.In the New Jersey Region of the Mid Atlantic State, the Secretary of the COCP is responsible for cohosting the 5 meetings with the Vice Mayor and creates the rules for Chapter Challenge, a game for chapters to try and outperform each other in terms of convention delegations, speakers and moderators, activism activities, and other things that enhance the JSA experience.Director of Public Relations
The Director of Public Relations has the primary responsibility of finding speakers for conventions along with many other public relations jobs. Further subdivisions can also include Director of Publicity and Director of Communications.Director of Chapter Internal Affairs
In the MAS, they are on the Vice Mayoral Cabinets, and in the NES, they are in the Gubernatorial Cabinet. CIAs or DCIAs are responsible for making calls to chapter presidents to prepare them for conventions. They also have to handle any "crises" that are going on such as teacher-advisor retirement and lack of transportation.Newspaper Editor-in-Chief
Most states and regions may have a Newspaper editor who is responsible for creating and editing a newspaper for updates in JSA and local politics. They come up with a list of articles that have to be written and have members in the state/region write most of them.Chief of Staff
Most elected officials appoint their own chief of staff who is responsible for overseeing their cabinet. They need to have an understanding of the workings for the cabinet that they are in charge of.A great example of a Chief of Staff is Kevin kay under Mr. Rusterholz
Chief Justice/Justice Department
The Chief Justice is appointed by the Executive (Either Governor/Mayor) and is responsible for all Mock Trials at the various convention. Additionally, the Chief Justice is charged with ensuring all Bills that are passed are constitutional.Director of Special and Nighttime Activities
The DoSNA is responsible for night events such as the dance, and other events and nighttime activities that can differ state by state.Director of Expansion/Expansion Agent
Expansion Directors are responsible for spreading JSA to new schools. Some may focus on new frontiers while others may search in an area where many current JSA schools are.Director of Activism
The Director of Activism tries to get JSAers involved with local politics such as community days and political candidate campaigns. They also may help get involved with other community activities to raise money and give that money to a cause.Regional elected officials
Every top-level JSA branch is divided into a few parts, called "Regions". Every Region has a Mayor and a Vice-Mayor and/or a Senator.Mayor
The Mayor is an important and critical part of a state, leading the entire region, which ranges from a large city area to a combination of parts of several states. They are responsible for the well-being of their region, as well as planning and executing one-day regional conferences and helping with over-night conventions.Vice Mayor
This officer assists the Mayor, and takes their place in case of absence or resignation. A primary role of the Vice Mayor is to keep up on the status of all chapters within the region, and make sure the Chapter Presidents have everything they need to succeed.Senator
In some regions, a Senator is appointed by each state in a region instead of a Mayor and Vice Mayor, and the Senator is in charge of chapter relations. In some states each senator does a Personal Outreach Project, or a POP, which the senator has their project to assist the average JSA member become more involved. In certain states, the Senate serves as the legislative check to the Governor's powers. Also, they are in charge with maintaining accountability in Cabinet and are responsible for confirming Cabinet at the beginning of every new year.Summer programs
After the school year is over, JSA and JSF offer numerous summer programs. The biggest programs, which are held at major universities, are Summer Schools, which are conducted by the Junior Statesmen Foundation and offer students an opportunity to study local, state, or national government at an advanced level. These programs are meant to prepare young leaders for active participation in public affairs.These programs, at which students take a full semester of two courses over three or four weeks, for which they can receive high school credit, take place at Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Georgetown
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, and Beijing
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
. Along with debate and regular classes (including Advanced Placement and Law Classes), students participate in a vigorous Speaker's Program in which notable speakers talk about current issues to the students. Past speakers have included Mike McCurry, Andy Card, Lee H. Hamilton
Lee H. Hamilton
Lee Herbert Hamilton is a former member of the United States House of Representatives and currently a member of the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council. A member of the Democratic Party, Hamilton represented the 9th congressional district of Indiana from 1965 to 1999...
, Norman Mineta
Norman Mineta
Norman Yoshio Mineta, is a United States politician of the Democratic Party. Mineta most recently served in President George W. Bush's Cabinet as the United States Secretary of Transportation, the only Democratic Cabinet Secretary in the Bush administration...
, Joe Trippi
Joe Trippi
Joe Trippi is a long-time American Democratic campaign worker and consultant. A mainstay in presidential politics, Trippi has worked on the presidential campaigns of Edward Kennedy, Walter Mondale, Gary Hart, Dick Gephardt, Jerry Brown and most recently John Edwards...
, Dennis Kucinich
Dennis Kucinich
Dennis John Kucinich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He was furthermore a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections....
, Chuck Hagel
Chuck Hagel
Charles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel is a former United States Senator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002...
, Katie Couric
Katie Couric
Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric is an American journalist and author. She serves as Special Correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials...
, Brian Williams
Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
, Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Anne Ferraro was an American attorney, a Democratic Party politician, and a member of the United States House of Representatives. She was the first female Vice Presidential candidate representing a major American political party....
, John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, Ted Rall
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is an American columnist, syndicated editorial cartoonist, and author. His political cartoons often appear in a multi-panel comic-strip format and frequently blend comic-strip and editorial-cartoon conventions. The cartoons appear in approximately 100 newspapers around the United States...
, George H.W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, Ed Meese, William Perry
William Perry
William James Perry is an American businessman and engineer who was the United States Secretary of Defense from February 3, 1994, to January 23, 1997, under President Bill Clinton...
, Brian Williams
Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
and Karl Rove
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
.
Summer Institute
Institute
An institute is a permanent organizational body created for a certain purpose. Often it is a research organization created to do research on specific topics...
s are also held in different regions, such as the summer symposium of Arizona State, Stanford, UCLA, Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and University of Texas. These events are four- to five-days long and venture into politics, world studies, history, national security and discussions of current events. Princeton's event is nicknamed "Princetitute." These events are formerly known as symposia
Symposium
In ancient Greece, the symposium was a drinking party. Literary works that describe or take place at a symposium include two Socratic dialogues, Plato's Symposium and Xenophon's Symposium, as well as a number of Greek poems such as the elegies of Theognis of Megara...
.
Every summer, the newly elected governors each choose a select few from their states or territories to attend the Montezuma National Leadership Summit (affectionately known as "Zuma"). The summit is held in early-to-mid August at Presentation Center in Los Gatos, California
Los Gatos, California
The Town of Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 29,413 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area at the southwest corner of San Jose in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains...
, the former site of the Montezuma Mountain School where JSA was founded in 1934. Students who are selected to attend this summit learn more about the history and national dynamics of JSA. Being selected for attendance is considered one of the ultimate JSA honors, and many of the students that attend lead future years of the Junior State. Subsequently, two or three students are selected out of class to become a National Montezuma Foundation Student Advisor, working with the Junior State Foundation to preside over budget and funding allocations for the National Montezuma Summit.