THE JUNIOR STATE

OF AMERICA

CHAPTER BINDER
The Complete Guide To Running A Successful JSA Chapter
 Chapter Binder
JUNIOR STATE OF AMERICA -- AN OVERVIEW

What Makes the Junior State So Unique ........................................................................................ 1

The Structure of The Junior State of America ............................................................................... 1
The Junior Statesmen Foundation ......................................................................................11
Getting Involved in the Junior State Outside of Your Chapter...................................................13
Junior State Activities...................................................................................................................... 16
Teacher/Advisors...............................................................................................................................18

INTRODUCTION TO THE JUNIOR STATE CHAPTER

The Junior State Chapter ................................................................................................................. 1

Starting A Junior State Chapter ........................................................................................................ 4
Chapter Planning and Organization..................................................................................................6

CHAPTER MEETINGS

Chapter Meetings and Meeting Activities ...................................................................................... 1

At The Chapter Meeting .................................................................................................................... 5
Chapter Meeting Activities ............................................................................................................... 9

PREPARING FOR A JUNIOR STATE CONVENTION

What Happens At A Convention ....................................................................................................... 1
Checklist .............................................................................................................................................. 5
Sample Agenda ................................................................................................................................. 10

CHAPTER GUIDES
Chapter Publicity ................................................................................................................................ 1
Chapter Fundraising .......................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter Membership Drive ............................................................................................................ 15
Chapter Conference ........................................................................................................................ 23

HANDBOOKS
Debate Handbook
Moderator Handbook

FORMS AND HANDOUTS

What is JSA?
Chapter Leadership Form
Tax Form
Permission Form
Delegate Letter

What Makes the
Junior State So Unique:
The Student-Run Aspect of JSA
Professor Ernest Andrew Rogers, the
founder of the Junior Statesmen of America, felt
that the best way to learn about and develop
an understanding and appreciation of our
democratic system was to partake in it first hand.
This principle of education through participa-
tion is the foundation upon which the Junior
State of America was built. The Junior State
has established its own internal governmental
structure and elects and appoints students to
run every aspect of the organization. This al-
lows students to gain an understanding, first
hand, how government really works.
There are numerous political organiza-
tions for high school students that attempt to
teach young people about government, democ-
racy and current events. However, while stu-
dents do play large roles in some of these orga-
nizations, the vast majority of them are really
run by adults. The Junior State is distinctly dif-
ferent in this regard. It is the largest student-
run high school nonpartisan political organiza-
tion in the country. Its elected and appointed
student leaders determine the course of the or-
ganization every step of the way. Our student
leaders bring about our organization’s successes
The Structure of
The Junior State of America
The Junior State of America provides
high school students with the unique opportu-
nity to discover democracy at work. Members
are given the chance to participate in a govern-
ment created and directed by students, with
minimum adult assistance. This freedom allows
Junior State members to understand and ap-
preciate American democracy and encourages
future involvement as a politically aware citi-
zen.
The Junior State is organized in four lev-
els simulating that of the United States govern-
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The Junior State of America -- An Overview
and failures. Professor Rogers felt that the best
way to learn whether our system works is to try
it yourself and see what works and what does
not. Democracy must be experienced in order
to be appreciated and understood.
Our student leaders are therefore given
as much freedom as possible to steer the orga-
nization in the direction they feel is best. It is
their sincerest dedication to the organization
and endless work that prevents it from going
astray. Every decision made in the Junior State
is made by someone who is either directly or
indirectly entrusted by the members to make
that decision. The success of every aspect of
the state, from our conventions to our chapter
affairs program, all depends on the wisdom and
dedication of these student leaders.
Traditionally, the Junior State has found
the best possible people to be its leaders --
people with experience, wisdom, leadership
skills and tremendous dedication. Every mem-
ber of the Junior State needs to understand that
it is up to them to make sure this tradition con-
tinues. The Junior State is a democracy; it is up
to the people to ensure its success.
ment. The chapter represents local government,
the region represents county government, the
state resembles state government, and the
group of states together form the national gov-
ernment. There are elected leaders at the chap-
ter, region and state levels.
The chapter is the fundamental unit of
the organization. As a school-sponsored club,
each chapter must have at least eight members
and a teacher-advisor to assist with administra-
tive tasks and provide educational guidance.
The chapter must write a constitution and each
Section A
member of the chapter must ratify it. A chapter
president is then elected along with any other of-
fices outlined in the chapter constitution. The
chapter president leads and represents his/her
membership and receives JSA mailings inform-
ing members of regional and state activities.
The other parts of the Junior State gov-
ernment - the regional, state and national - exist
for three main purposes: to educate, to involve
and to represent the members of the Junior State.
This is accomplished primarily through coordinat-
ing activities, helping chapters and promoting po-
litical understanding.
The main task of the other levels of gov-
ernment is the coordination of Junior State activi-
ties. The resources of these larger governments
allow them to plan larger and more complex events
than a single chapter could likely do alone. By
combining members of many different chapters
in these activities, the diversity of opinions repre-
sented is often greater than at a chapter activity.
Another large task of the Junior State gov-
ernment is helping your chapter. This is known
as “Chapter Affairs”. Chapter Affairs is the most
important responsibility of the Junior State gov-
ernment. Every elected and appointed Junior State
official knows that without strong individual Junior
The State
The State is the largest division of the Jun-
ior State. There are currently five different Junior
States: Southern California, Northern California,
Texas, Pacific Northwest and Atlantic. The state
level of government is where many of the programs
the Junior State runs are conducted. Each state
drafts, approves and amends its own constitution
which outlines the structure of the state and the
responsibilities of its officers.
The state serves numerous different func-
tions from Chapter Affairs to publications and con-
ventions. It is usually the largest of the levels of
government and assumes the most responsibili-
ties. One of the main tasks of the state is plan-
ning and running the state conventions. These
one and two night meetings of high school stu-
dents from across the state range from a few
A-2
State chapters, the regions and states would have
little meaning. The Junior State government
handles Chapter Affairs through many different
ways including newsletters informing chapters of
upcoming events, guides to running chapter ac-
tivities, and workshops on effective chapter lead-
ership and other topics. The regional and state
governments also provide chapters with people
whom they can contact for advice and sugges-
tions.
The final task of the Junior State govern-
ment is to encourage Junior State members to
get involved in politics and government. This is
accomplished largely by involving Junior State
members in the causes they feel most passion-
ately about and giving them the tools they need to
voice their opinions and be heard. Additionally,
the Junior State government will at times voice
their own opinions to local, state and national gov-
ernment on youth-related or educational issues
its constituents feel are important.
We will now discuss the structure of the
regional, state and national governments in more
detail.
hundred students to nearly two-thousand students
and are held in large first class hotels in cities
around the nation. The state government plans
and runs virtually every aspect of these tremen-
dous events.
The state also assumes much of the re-
sponsibility for Chapter Affairs. Most states pub-
lish a Chapter Affairs newsletter of some sort and
provide chapters with activities to use on a
monthly or bimonthly basis. Additionally, they may
put out publications on fund raising, publicity, chap-
ter conferences and numerous other topics of use
to a Junior State chapter. The Chapter Affairs pro-
gram is headed by a State Chapter Affairs Direc-
tor who decides what programs will help the chap-
ters and directs them. States also usually pub-
lish a newspaper or newsletter on the events and

happenings in the state to keep all its members
informed.
Many states have a department or cabi-
net members dedicated to political action and edu-
cation. Frequently this ties in with the state legis-
lature which we will discuss in more detail later.
Some states adopt a “platform” - a set of resolu-
tions or planks adopted by two-thirds or more of
its members - and attempt to lobby local and state
government in favor of this platform. The issues
dealt with are exclusively youth related issues
such as education and voting rights. For more
about this aspect of the Junior State see the full
description of the legislative branch below as well
as the section on “Political Activism & Education”
in the Chapter Section.
In general, states have a much larger and
more complex leadership structure than either re-
gions or chapters. This is simply due to their tre-
mendous size. While a region generally has no
more than fifty chapters, a state may have as
many as one-hundred and fifty chapters and as
many as four thousand members. It is therefore
necessary to have many different positions and
departments to coordinate the activities and pro-
grams of such a large entity.
Each state is headed by a Junior State Gov-
ernor. The Governor is the chief executive officer
of his/her respective state and assumes respon-
sibility for all the programs and events that the
state conducts. The Governor is also responsible
for facilitating state and regional cooperation and
for the overall well being of every aspect of the
state. Directly or indirectly, the Governors are re-
sponsible for the success or failure of all aspects
of the Junior State. (S)he must be knowledge-
able in every area of The Junior State and must
be able to make informed decisions. Each Junior
State Governor also serves as a member of the
National Council of Governors (see National Gov-
ernment) and must make substantial time and
travel commitments. In short, being Governor is
a full time job, often leaving little time even for
school work. Serving as Governor requires enor-
mous time commitments, both on the telephone
and in meetings, and requires extensive travel and
public appearances.
The Governor appoints a cabinet to assist
with the awesome duties of running the state. The
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The Junior State of America -- An Overview
state cabinet is generally larger than the regional
cabinet, usually consisting of between ten and fifty
appointed members grouped into several differ-
ent departments. A typical state cabinet may look
like this:
Executive Department
Chief of Staff -- serves as a link between the Gov-
ernor and the cabinet members and helps direct
the activities of the cabinet.
Secretary of State -- takes care of other adminis-
trative tasks in conjunction with the chief of staff.
Chapter Affairs Department
Chapter Affairs Director -- heads the department
and directs state programs to help chapters.
Expansion Director -- heads all expansion efforts
(creating new chapters).
Director of Fund Raising -- assists chapters with
raising funds for conventions and other events.
Chapter Conference Coordinator -- coordinates
the chapter conferences (sometimes called mini-
conferences) by scheduling dates and helping the
chapter conference leaders.
Convention Department
Convention Coordinator -- runs the state conven-
tions and the convention department.
Director of Debate -- helps plan state conventions
and runs the state debate department.
Director of Logistics/Convention Manager --heads
the logistics efforts at state conventions.
Communications Department
State Editor -- edits and publishes the state news-
paper.
State reporter -- covers events and writes articles
for the state newspaper.
Public Relations Director -- promotes positive
public relations for the state by sending out press
releases and other publicity.
Section A
Legislative Branch
The Lieutenant Governor, the second state
official, assists the Governor in running the state.
The Lieutenant Governor fills the position of Gov-
ernor in case of absence or resignation. The re-
sponsibilities of the Lt. Governor vary greatly from
state to state, but his or her main responsibility is
to preside over the state legislature - either the
State Senate or the Council of Chapter Presidents.
Additionally, the Lt. Governor usually conducts the
state elections each spring.
Some states elect a third state official --
the State Speaker. In states with this position, the
Speaker usually heads the "State Assembly" or
The Region
Regions are divisions or sections of states
and include all the chapters in a defined area of a
state. Regions may also be formed outside of
states where chapters are forming but there are
not yet enough chapters to create a state. Each
region drafts, approves and amends its own con-
stitution, which provides a structure for the re-
gional government and the individual responsibili-
ties of its officers.
Regions serve two main functions: orga-
nizing local conferences and providing its chap-
ters with support. Regional conferences are usu-
ally one-day conferences held on university cam-
puses or in government office facilities. While
regional conferences are frequently smaller than
state conventions, they allow for greater individual
participation and more opportunities for members
to speak. With Chapter Affairs, the regions can
offer personalized attention to chapters. Many
regions publish Chapter Affairs newsletters, ac-
tivities of the month and other publications to as-
sist your chapter as well as holding regional chap-
ter leadership meetings and workshops.
Each region is headed by a Mayor who
acts as the chief executive officer of the region.
The Mayor organizes and conducts the regional
conferences and programs, helps coordinate re-
gional activities and represents the region as a
A-4
"House of Representatives" and heads the politi-
cal action aspect of the Junior State. A Speaker
Pro Temp is usually appointed to assist the
Speaker.
Often a Political Involvement Director is
appointed to coordinate and direct programs to
increase the political involvement of Junior State
members.
Serving on state cabinet is an honor and
reflects the Governor’s confidence in you and
belief that you have the experience and dedica-
tion necessary to handle huge responsibilities.
Most members of state cabinets have been in the
Junior State a year or more before being appointed
to cabinet.
whole. The Mayor appoints a cabinet to aid him/
her in accomplishing these tasks. Most regional
cabinets include a conference coordinator to help
run the regional conferences, a director of debate
to run the regional debate program and Chapter
Affairs directors to coordinate the Chapter Affairs
program. The Mayor may appoint whatever other
positions (s)he feels will help accomplish the
region’s goals.
The second elected officer is the Vice
Mayor. The Vice Mayor assists the Mayor with
regional activities and programs and takes the
Mayor’s place in the case of absence or resigna-
tion. In different regions, the Vice Mayor may have
other set responsibilities such as heading the
region’s Chapter Affairs program or presiding over
the regional legislature.
For a more exact description of your state
and regional officials and their responsibilities,
contact the Junior State office or a local Junior
State officer.

The National
Junior State Government
On a national level, the Junior State is gov-
erned by the Council of Governors. This group,
consisting of the Governor of each of the Junior
States, meets three times a year to determine the
direction the Junior State as a whole . Their meet-
ings usually last three days and are usually held
at the Junior State’s National Headquarters.
The Council of Governors prepares the
national budget, determines convention themes
and prices, creates the convention brochures, dis-
tributes J.S.A. membership cards, publishes The
Junior Statement (the national Junior State news-
paper), keeps The Junior Statesmen Foundation
() abreast of developments in the Junior State,
launches expansion efforts into new areas of the
nation and coordinates other national publications
and programs. All of these responsibilities fall on
five of the busiest leaders in the Junior State, each
having the tremendous responsibility of running
their own respective state. Therefore, just as
Mayors and Governors do, the National Council
of Governors appoints a cabinet to assist them.
The national cabinet seldom consists of more than
five or six members. These include, but are not
limited to:
The National Treasurer
Keeps all financial records of the Junior
State, sees that all reimbursements are properly
made, pays bills and manages a budget of more
than $1.5 million each year.
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The Junior State of America -- An Overview
The National Editor
Prepares and edits the national Junior
State newspaper, The Junior Statement, which is
published two to four times a year.
Each year’s Council of Governors will de-
termine the annual national goals for the organi-
zation. These might include expanding into a cer-
tain geographic area currently lacking any chap-
ters, heightening Junior State members’ aware-
ness about certain issues or improving the qual-
ity of chapter meetings. To help it achieve its goals
for the year, the Council will often appoint students
to other national cabinet positions. In the past,
these have included:
National Chapter Affairs Director
Plans and runs a national program de-
signed to assist chapters throughout the nation
with publications.
National Expansion Director
Heads efforts to expand the Junior State
into areas that currently do not have Junior State
chapters.
National Political Affairs Director
Runs a national political awareness pro-
gram designed to educate members all across
the nation in political affairs as well as to voice
student's opinions through national opinion polls
and other programs.
Section A
To help organize the work of the Council
of Governors, tasks are divided among the Gov-
ernors by electing the following positions:
Chair of the Council
This governor prepares the agenda for and
presides over each of the Council of Governors’
meetings. (S)he initiates conference calls and
oversees much of the national cabinet.
Student Trustee
This governor sits on The Junior States-
men Foundation’s Board of Trustees. For a de-
tailed description of the purpose and workings of
the Foundation, see “The Junior Statesmen
The Local Junior State
Government: Chapter Affairs
In all areas of the Junior State there are
groups of officers that exist almost exclusively to
help the chapters. Running a Junior State chap-
ter can be very difficult at times, and the regional
and state officials are often too busy with their other
responsibilities to give chapter presidents all the
attention they deserve. This close personal atten-
tion is accomplished through the Chapter Affairs
Program.
The structure and function of Chapter Af-
fairs differs greatly from region to region and state
to state. In some areas, it is overseen by the state
government; in other areas it is left to the regions.
In some areas, the Chapter Affairs officials are
called Chapter Intelligence Agents (C.I.A.). In other
areas they are called District Supervisors. Re-
gardless of their title or who oversees them, they
can give you and your chapter the assistance you
need on a day to day basis.
Chapter Affairs officials have a small group
of chapters to which they are assigned. The num-
ber of chapters assigned to each official ranges
from three to more than a dozen, depending on
the state and region in which they are located.
The Chapter Affairs official is responsible for the
success of the chapters assigned to them. They
help steer chapter presidents away from trouble
and help them when problems arise. They also
serve as a link between the chapter presidents
A-6
Foundation” section.
Secretary of the Council
This governor takes minutes of all the
Council’s meetings.
All the states, regions and territories of the
Junior State combine to form the National Junior
State of America. Each summer, Governors se-
lect a few young promising leaders from across
the nation to attend the Montezuma National Lead-
ership Summit held at the birthplace of the Junior
State near Los Gatos, California. Other than that
there are no national Junior State meetings.
and the rest of the Junior State. They inform chap-
ter presidents of upcoming events and deadlines.
The chapter presidents voice any concerns they
have to their Chapter Affairs official who can in-
form the appropriate state or regional leader. It is
often said that the Chapter Affairs official is the
lifeline of the Junior State chapter and the chapter
president’s closest confident.
Chapter Affairs officer's techniques differ
from state to state. Some may call you on a regu-
lar basis to inform you of upcoming JSA events
and deadlines, help you with any problems you
are encountering, suggest activities and topics for
you to hold meetings on and keep track of your
chapters progress. Some may ask that you call
them whenever you need their help. Chapter Af-
fairs officials may call local chapter president
meetings where you and other chapter presidents
can exchange ideas. They also may publish a
local newsletter for chapter presidents and lead-
ers. Whatever your Chapter Affairs official does
for you and your chapter, you must always let this
person know what else they can do to assist you.
They can have J.S.A. materials sent to you and
inform you of upcoming J.S.A. events -- all you
need to do is ask. If you are not sure who your
local JSA official is or if he or she is not able to
provide you with the assistance you need, you
should contact either your mayor or governor and
discuss this with them. This person is your most

vital link to the rest of the Junior State -- you must
make sure to take advantage of what they can
offer you.
Territories of The Junior State
At this point we must mention a few areas
of the Junior State that do not directly fit into any
one of the Junior States. These are the territo-
ries. With educating, involving and representing
the youth of America as the goal of The Junior
State, stopping at the fifty United States would be
coming short of the Junior State’s full potential.
Therefore, special efforts have been made to start
chapters in the United States territories and inde-
pendent island nations. So far, there are active
chapters and interested members in Guam,
American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Palau
and the Northern Marianas. Although it is imprac-
The Other Branches of
The Junior State Government
So far, we have mostly examined the ex-
ecutive branch of the Junior State - the Gover-
nors, Mayors and their cabinets. However, the
Junior State does indeed have other branches as
well. We will now examine them and their role in
the Junior State in more detail.
The Legislative Branch of The Junior State
Just as the United States has a legislative
branch, so does the Junior State. The legislative
branch of the Junior State serves two main pur-
poses: to represent the members of the Junior
State and to check the executive branch and bal-
ance its powers. There are legislative bodies at
all levels of the Junior State government, although
not all regions have legislatures.
The regional legislatures vary greatly in
their structure and function. They may consist of
a board of locally elected representatives, chap-
ter representatives or a Council of Chapter Presi-
dents. In some regions the state senators from
that region serve as the regional legislature when
needed. In most regions these legislatures con-
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The Junior State of America -- An Overview
tical for Junior State members in these territories
to attend conventions on the mainland, they do
hold chapter meetings and local conferences and
send large numbers of students to the Junior
Statesmen Summer Schools each year.
firm the Mayor’s cabinet and make other govern-
mental decisions.
The states, for the most part, have the
most developed and complex legislatures in the
Junior State, and they differ greatly from state to
state. Some states have a two house legislature
(bicameral) with two separate houses working in
congruence with each other. Other states only
have a one house legislature (unicameral). In
some states with a bicameral legislature, one of
the houses is called the Senate and the other the
Assembly or House of Representatives. Usually,
Senators are elected by region and
Assemblymembers by chapter. Usually, the State
Speaker presides over the Assembly or House of
Representatives while the Lt. Governor presides
over the Senate.
The state legislatures hold the Governor
responsible by confirming his/her cabinet. They
also pass any legislation they feel will help the
Junior State. In extreme cases, they may impeach
one of the state elected officials if (s)he has com-
mitted a serious wrongdoing in the Junior State.
Section A
To find out more about how your individual state’s
legislature works, contact your local chapter af-
fairs official or check in the “State by State” sec-
tion of this binder.
The Council of Governors serves as the
national legislature. All changes in the national
constitution are initiated by the Council and then
ratified by each of the state legislatures. Since
the Council of Governors makes all national cabi-
net appointments itself, no confirmation is neces-
sary.
In general, legislatures can do six main
actions. These are passing a bylaw, passing an
amendment, passing a resolution, passing a plat-
form, confirmations and impeachments.
Passing a Bylaw
Passing a bill is usually the most common
action taken by a legislature. A bill is simply a
proposed law that the legislature must vote on. If
a majority of the legislature votes in favor of mak-
ing it law, then it passes; if not, it fails. Once
passed, bills usually require either the Mayor or
Governor’s signature before becoming law. If
(s)he decides the bill is not in the best interest of
the Junior State, (s)he may veto it and return it to
the legislature. The legislature can then either let
it go, rewrite it, or attempt to override the veto. To
override a veto, the bill must get a certain fraction
(usually two thirds) of the legislature to vote in fa-
vor of it. If this happens, the bill then becomes
law without the executive’s signature.
Many people are at first confused about
what exactly the Junior State legislature does. In
many other organizations, ‘mock’ legislatures are
set up to pass ‘mock’ laws regarding the real world,
just as the real state legislature would do. In the
Junior State, however, all laws passed by the leg-
islature are regarding the Junior State itself. These
bylaws affect the organization and structure of the
Junior State. They help keep the state running
smoothly. It is in this manner that Junior State
members really gain an understanding of the leg-
islative process, as they must adhere to their own
laws.
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Passing a Constitutional Amendment
In the Junior State, constitutions exist on
the chapter, regional, state and national levels, and
every constitution includes in its text a method in
which it can be amended. Usually, the legislature
is in control of amending the constitution. Usually
amendments are regarding the structure of the
government while bills are laws for members and
officials to follow.
Passing a Resolution
A resolution is a statement by a legisla-
ture that expresses the opinion of the legislature,
but is not law. A resolution therefore differs from
bill or amendments which are law and must be
adhered to. Resolutions are passed when a leg-
islature wants to express something to an official
or the members regarding an issue usually that
the legislature does not have direct control over.
A resolution may be urging an elected official to
take some action, like signing a bill or creating a
new program to help chapters. Legislatures may
also pass resolutions stating support of an official’s
actions, especially if they are controversial. This
may include the decision to implement a new pro-
gram or to change some aspect of a convention.
Sometimes a legislature will pass a resolution on
a more personal level, such as wishing someone
luck in an endeavor or offering condolences to a
Junior State member who has suffered a loss.
Passing a Platform
Some legislatures have the authority to
pass platforms. A platform is a series of ‘planks’
or statements regarding the beliefs of the mem-
bers of the Junior State on youth and education
issues. The planks in a platform are usually re-
garding issues of particular concern to students
in the real, non-JSA world. These may include
such issues as student rights, funding for schools
or censorship of school newspapers. To pass a
platform, a two-thirds of the legislature respon-
sible for platforms must vote in favor of it. A plat-
form, once passed, usually becomes the official
stance of that Junior State on those issues. These
official positions may be communicated to the U.S.
Congress, state legislatures, or other bodies.

Confirmations
One of the ways in which the legislative
branch holds the executive branch accountable
is by making sure the executive’s cabinet selec-
tions are appropriate. This is done through a pro-
cess called confirmation. In regions with legisla-
tures and in all states, after the executive (the
Mayor for the region and the Governor for the state)
has made his/her cabinet selections, each of the
people selected to serve on cabinet must testify
before the legislature and be confirmed. Usually,
the legislature makes sure that the appointed
people have the experience and dedication to do
their respective jobs. This process ensures that
each Governor or Mayor selects competent people
for the job. Once appointed, the chief executive
has full power to retain or dismiss a cabinet mem-
ber.
Impeachment
In extreme cases, an elected Junior State
official may do something serious enough to war-
rant their removal from office. In such cases, the
elected official must be accused of the crime and
then impeached. The legislative branch of the
Junior State handles the impeachments of all
elected officials. The regional legislatures may
impeach the regionally elected officials while the
state legislatures may impeach the state elected
officials. Impeachments are usually very disrup-
tive to the Junior State government and should
only be considered for the most serious offenses.
They should never be carried out for personal or
petty reasons. Historically, impeachments have
been extremely uncommon in the Junior State.
Parliamentary Procedure
All legislative bodies in the Junior State fol-
low parliamentary procedure, a method of main-
taining order and fairness in meetings. The spe-
cific rules of parliamentary procedure are given in
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. This is
the official reference for parliamentary procedure
in Junior State activities.
Legislative bodies in the Junior State keep
most of their meetings open to the public. Junior
State members are highly encouraged to attend
them if at all possible. They are a great way to
learn more about the inner-workings of the Junior
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The Junior State of America -- An Overview
State. Additionally, if you feel there is an issue
that your legislature should address, you may have
the opportunity to bring this up during one of their
meetings. Speak to a member of the legislature
and ask them how you should go about doing this.
Your legislature is there to represent you, and by
attending their meetings and letting them know
what issues are important to you, you are holding
them responsible to their job.
The Judicial Branch of The Junior State
Finally we arrive at the third branch
of government -- the Judicial Branch. The Judi-
cial Branch’s purpose in gov-
ernment is to further check the
powers of the executive and leg-
islative branches and ensure
that all actions taken by both
branches are constitutional.
The Junior State’s Judicial
Branch is in most states the
least prominent branch of gov-
ernment and in some states
does not exist at all.
In most states, the
judicial branch concerns itself
primarily with running the
state’s mock trials program for chapters and at
conventions. The members of this branch are
usually appointed by the Governor just the same
as all cabinet members and serve one year terms.
Frequently a Chief Justice will head the branch
and determine what programs it should run. Some
states administer mock bar exams that you must
pass before being allowed to participate in a mock
trial. These exams usually test for a basic level of
understanding of court procedure and our nation’s
judicial system.
Section A

Organization of The Junior State: A Summary

National Government
led by the Council of Governors
and appointed National Cabinet

State Governments
led by Governors & Lieutenant Governors
and appointed state cabinets
State Legislatures
Chapter Representatives
Regional Representatives
(can be unicameral or bicameral)

Regional Governments
led by Mayors & Vice Mayors
and appointed Regional Cabinets

Chapter Governments
led by Chapter Presidents
and elected/appointed chapter officers

OHIO RIVER VALLEY

PACIFIC MIDWEST NORTHEAST

NORTHWEST
(Includes Alaska)

NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA

MID-
SOUTHERN ATLANTIC
CALIFORNIA (Includes U.S. Virgin
(Includes Hawaii) Islands)

PACIFIC ISLANDS TEXAS

REGION (PI)
Includes: SOUTHEAST
American Samoa,
CNMI, Guam,and
A-10
Palau

The Junior Statesmen Foundation
Although often mistaken for one another,
the Junior State and The Junior Statesmen Foun-
dation are not the same organization. In fact, they
are two entirely separate organizations with sepa-
rate leadership, separate bank accounts and sepa-
rate responsibilities that work together towards the
same goals. The Junior Statesmen Foundation
was founded shortly after the founding of The Jun-
ior State to give adult support to the student-run
Junior State. To this day its goal remains helping
the Junior State of America achieve its goals of
political education, involvement and representa-
tion.
The Junior Statesmen Foundation is gov-
erned by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
These adults, about half of whom are former Jun-
ior State members themselves, include many very
prominent and powerful business and government
leaders. They meet several times during the year
to decide important issues in the running of the
Foundation. They elect among themselves a
President, Vice President, Secretary and Trea-
surer to handle many of the aspects of running
the Foundation. The Council of Governors also
selects one of its members to serve on the Board
of Trustees as the student trustee and represent
the Junior State’s interests to the Foundation.
The Junior Statesmen Foundation accom-
plishes its goals through two main activities. First
of all, it runs the Junior Statesmen office. The
office serves as a base of both the Foundation’s
and the Junior State’s activities. Secondly, the
Foundation runs the Junior Statesmen Summer
Schools. These programs, discussed in more
detail later, offer hundreds of students the oppor-
tunity to study government, speech, economics,
constitutional law and foreign policy each sum-
mer at prestigious universities across the nation.
The Junior Statesmen Office
The national headquarters of The Junior
Statesmen Foundation is located in San Mateo,
California, near San Francisco and the Foundationi
also has an office located in Washington D.C. The
offices serve both the Junior State and The Junior
Statesmen Foundation. The staff includes the Ex-
ecutive Director of The Junior Statesmen Foun-
A-11
The Junior State of America -- An Overview
dation, Program Directors, Summer School Di-
rectors and Convention Registrars, among oth-
ers. The Executive Director runs the day to day
business of The Junior Statesmen Foundation.
The Program Directors work primarily with
the leaders of The Junior State. They work as
team members with the elected and appointed
officials and offer them advice when needed. All
decisions are ultimately left up to the students in
charge, but often some advice from an experi-
enced Program Director can allow the student
leaders to see other options and different alterna-
tives when making difficult decisions. The Pro-
gram Directors also take care of such items as
making hotel arrangements, sending out mailings
and keeping the office database updated. The
Program Directors also work on or direct Junior
Statesmen Summer School sessions each sum-
mer. The Program Directors are always avail-
able to help you and your chapter in any way they
can.
Junior Statesmen Summer Programs
The Junior Statesmen Foundation also
runs the many Junior Statesmen Summer Pro-
grams offered to high school students every sum-
mer. These include the Junior Statesmen Sum-
mer Schools and the Junior Statesmen Sympo-
sia.
In addition to wonderful friends and knowl-
edge that one gains from a Junior Statesmen Sum-
mer Program, one also gains an understanding
of the Junior State and its purpose. Sending mem-
bers of your chapter to Junior Statesmen Sum-
mer Programs is one of the best things you can
do to ensure a strong chapter in the years to
come. Students return with a much greater un-
derstanding of the issues discussed as well as
contacts at other chapters that can be very use-
ful. Chapters should try to send as many of their
members to Junior Statesmen Summer Pro-
grams as possible. A rough goal could be send-
ing one student to a Junior Statesmen Summer
School for every ten members or so.
Section A
SUMMER SCHOOLS. Since 1940, the Junior
Statesmen Summer School has offered a rigor-
ous academic challenge to outstanding high
school students. The curriculum includes a sys-
tematic introduction to American government and
politics, an exciting high level speakers program,
and student debates on current issues (Congres-
sional Workshops).
The collegiate academic environment
stresses substantial reading, research and writ-
ing. Classes are held six days a week. Students
reside in university dormitories and use campus
classrooms and libraries.
The Summer School faculty of outstand-
ing professors is recruited from universities
around the country. The faculty, counselors, and
administrators all live on campus with the students
and are responsible for academic and personal
counseling as well as supervision.
There are five locations for the Junior
Statesmen Summer School. They are at
Georgetown, Stanford, Yale, Northwestern, and
Princeton Universities. All five have similar ad-
missions requirements and tuition. Each offers
an identical Advanced Placement American Gov-
ernment course and a Congressional Workshop.
The Yale, Northwestern, Stanford and Princeton
sessions also offer an additional course in speech
communication. Students who have already taken
a advanced placement high school course in
American Government may enroll in the second
semester government course in United States
Foreign Policy, Constitutional Law, The Presi-
dency, Political Philosophy, Economics or
Comparitive Government. Studnets who have
completed a Speech Communications course
may take an Advanced Speech, Political Commu-
nications or Public Speaking and the Law course.
Admission to the Summer School is com-
petitive. Decisions are based on academic
achievement, leadership ability, and interest in
politics and government, as evidenced by a three
page personal essay, teacher recommendation
and official high school transcript. Junior States-
A-12
men Summer School graduates generally receive
high school credit for their course work. The
classes in American Government and Econom-
ics are equivalent to a one-semester Advanced
Placement course. With a satisfactory score on
the Advanced Placement Exam, students also
earn college credit. The Speech Communication
course is equivalent to a one-semester high school
Honors speech or Honors English elective.
Following the session, transcripts are sent
to the graduates, and to their high schools, upon
request. In advance of the Summer School, if
high school credit is desired, you should make
arrangements with appropriate officials at your
school.
On each campus during Summer School,
interested students may attend a special orienta-
tion session offered by undergraduate admissions
officials who will answer questions about admis-
sions, financial aid, SAT scores, housing, and
campus life.
SYMPOSIA. The Junior Statesmen Foundation
also runs several symposia on local and state
politics and government during the summer.
These symposia last three to five days and are
usually held on college campuses. There are cur-
rently symposia focusing on the politics of Los
Angeles, California, New Jersey, Washington,
Texas and Ohio.
During the school year, the Junior States-
men Foundation runs several day long symposia
on local government. These symposia are free
thanks to the donations of the corporations and
foundations that help fund them. So far, one day
symposia have been held in California in Orange,
Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Clara,
San Mateo Counties and in the cities of San Fran-
cisco and Oakland. These symposia offer an in-
valuable opportunity to meet with local leaders and
gain an understanding of the politics and govern-
ment of the area.
For more information regarding the Junior
Statesmen Summer Programs, contact the Jun-
ior Statesmen office at (800) 334-5353.

Getting Involved in the Junior
State Outside of Your Chapter
The majority of the members of the Junior
State have all their experiences in the organiza-
tion within their own chapter. They attend meet-
ings, participate in debates, attend a few conven-
tions and perhaps hold a leadership position within
their chapter. Comparatively few people step out-
side their chapter and join the many other levels
of leadership in the Junior State. Having a large
percentage of our leaders remain focused on their
chapter is one of the main reasons our organiza-
tion is so strong.
Some people, however, find that they want
to take on more responsibility and get more in-
volved than they can at the chapter level. Most
people who do this find the experience very re-
warding; they learn leadership, delegating and
cooperation skills on a larger scale than possible
at the chapter level. They also gain a unique un-
derstanding of politics by participating in the large
political arena that the Junior State has become.
They also meet many new and different types of
people and make numerous friends and acquain-
tances that often last a life time.
One of the most important things to re-
member before taking on leadership roles in the
Junior State is your relationship with your chapter.
Regardless of where your journey in the leader-
ship of the Junior State may take you, you must
never abandon your chapter. Your chapter and
its welfare must always remain your number one
priority. You do not need to always be Chapter
President, and in many cases you should not be.
But, you must always maintain a good relation-
ship with your chapter leadership and let them
know that you are there to help them if the need
arises. Getting involved in the Junior State out-
side of your chapter can bring numerous benefits
to your chapter, such as innovative ideas from
other chapter presidents and a deeper understand-
ing of the organization, but only if you remain a
loyal and active participant at the chapter level.
(For more on leaders and their chapters see the
section on “chapter relations”.)
A-13
The Junior State of America -- An Overview
How To Get Involved
Getting involved in JSA at the regional and
state levels is much like getting involved in real
politics and government. People usually work their
way up slowly, rather than jumping in at the top.
This is beneficial to the organization and the indi-
viduals for a few reasons.
For one thing, someone brand new to the
Junior State is not going to have the knowledge
and experience necessary to hold a position of
such great responsibility as Governor or Chapter
Affairs Director. This is not to say that a first year
member of the Junior State may not have great
ideas for those positions, it is just that it requires
a great knowledge and understanding of the or-
ganization before one is fully able to utilize such a
powerful position.
Secondly, one must recognize the respon-
sibilities and commitments that accompany some
of these higher positions. Being a Junior State
Governor is nearly a full time job, leaving little time
even for school work. Virtually every weekend of
the year is taken up with meetings, conferences
and conventions. Your evenings are often com-
pletely absorbed with planning conventions, writ-
ing articles, letters and memos and discussing
plans with your cabinet members. One really has
to love the organization to make this amount of
time commitment, and that kind of dedication can
only really be acquired over time.
The apparent fame and popularity of be-
ing a high ranking Junior State official can often
place a veil over the hard work and long hours
that really make up these jobs. People often find
that after some time in the Junior State leader-
ship, they want to lessen their commitment and
leave time to pursue other interests. Gradually
getting more and more involved in the organiza-
tion instead of jumping in at the top, prepares
members to handle the awesome responsibilities
of the higher positions in the Junior State. This
benefits both the leaders and the organization,
which does not suffer from leaders that lack the
dedication required to make the organization its
best.
Section A
The higher positions in the Junior State, at
times, seem to get a lot of fanfare and glory. Some
people therefore try to find short cuts up to the top
without putting in the work. However, the organi-
zation simply does not work that way. People care
passionately about the Junior State and only want
to see the finest, most dedicated people lead it.
They will not elect or appoint someone who is
clearly getting involved only for the recognition,
popularity and power that many people think ac-
companies big offices in the Junior State. People
want to see leaders who are willing to sacrifice
their time and energy to make the organization
work just as they have done and continue to do. It
is by working hard and proving oneself that one
eventually becomes the person making policy in-
stead of carrying policy out.
There are many ways to
get a taste of leadership in the
Junior State to see if it is some-
thing you like. You can start off
by speaking with a local Junior
State official. Let him/her know
that you are interested in getting
more involved and ask if there
are any upcoming projects on
which you can work. (S)he will
likely be able to find a slot for you
somewhere or, if not, be able to
refer you to someone who can.
Officials will appreciate knowing
that you are there in case they need an extra hand.
You may also want to start off by volunteering to
lead an activity at a conference or to work logis-
tics at a convention. If you have a positive experi-
ence, you may want to consider a cabinet posi-
tion.
Serving On Cabinet
The majority of elected officals in JSA get
their first experience by serving on cabinet. As
discussed in greater detail earlier, cabinets are
the appointed officials each Mayor and Governor
selects to help him/her carry out the programs
and activities that (s)he feels will help the Junior
State. Cabinets exist on the regional, state and
national levels. Usually, people start off serving
on regional cabinet. Here they can become ac-
quainted with the numerous different skills nec-
A-14
essary to be an effective leader in the Junior State.
Applications for cabinet are mailed out at
the beginning of the summer each year after the
newly elected officials have had time to decide
the positions needed. To receive a cabinet appli-
cation, simply call the Junior State office and re-
quest one. Most cabinet applications consist of a
detailed description of each of the positions and a
form to fill out. They may require an essay, letters
of recommendation or an interview. Most cabinet
applications are due towards the end of the sum-
mer.
Most cabinet applications let you indicate
a few cabinet positions in order of preference. Be-
fore selecting these positions, you should care-
fully think about the level of commitment you are
willing to make. Most cabinet positions require a
full year’s work. You may have to attend many
meetings, spend much time on the phone and put
in hours even when you are busy with other com-
mitments. You will be expected to work well with
others including those above you, take direction
from authority, and take responsibility for your ac-
tions. Being selected to serve on cabinet in the
Junior State is a big honor and should not be taken
lightly. It can be extremely rewarding but requires
much dedication and perseverance.
As you continue with your involvement in
the leadership of the Junior State, you may want
to seek a higher position of greater responsibility.
Perhaps you will find that you prefer to stay fo-
cused on your individual chapter’s success in-
stead of spending so much time in the leader-
 The Junior State of America -- An Overview

ship. You may realize that you prefer certain tasks and other campaign paraphernalia are all used to
in the Junior State to others. Where you go from sway the delegates toward a candidate. Candi-
there is largely up to you; just remember to never dates are even subject to campaign rules enforced
abandon your chapter and to always think care- by fair election committees.
fully about what commitments you are and are
not willing to make. The passion and energy that candidates
and their supporters put into their campaigns is
Junior State Campaigns and Elections indicative of how much the members of the Jun-
ior State really care about their organization. Can-
didates put tremendous energy and spend huge
amounts of time to be given a chance to help the
Junior State. Many people new to the Junior State
find that these elections offer an unprecedented
opportunity to get involved in the organization.
Members wishing to get a taste of what the orga-
nization can do should find a candidate they sup-
port and volunteer to help campaign for them. On
most campaigns there are usually many tasks that
As has been stated before, one of the most even the most unexperienced members of the
unique things about the Junior State is that it Junior State can do, and the process of getting
teaches students about democracy by participat- involved with these campaigns can be extremely
ing in it first hand. Junior State members do not exciting and rewarding.
just follow local, state and national elections and
then discuss the results, they participate in their
own student run version of democratic govern-
ment. Each year, in some of the most passion-
ate moments of the Junior State experience, mem-
bers elect the state and regional leaders that will
direct the organization for the next year. As the
Junior State is student-run, these leaders, once
elected, are entrusted with every aspect of the
Junior State. The process by which members
decide who to elect is therefore vitally important
to the well being of the organization. Junior State
members in general understand this and only elect
the highest caliber leaders to direct the organiza-
tion.

After witnessing an intense season of

campaigning and elections, most students agree
that the political arena in the Junior State has the
feel of real life campaigning and politics. Candi-
dates work for months preparing for the elections,
usually held at either the Spring State convention
of another designated election meeting. The can-
didates gather up supporters by campaigning at
every conference held throughout the winter and
spring. At the elections, candidates set up large
campaign teams with floor walkers and floor man-
agers. Nominations are modeled after political
party conventions. Speeches, literature, posters

A-15
Section A
Junior State Activities
True political education involves not only
understanding what goes on in the world, but also
understanding many different opinions and ideas
about world events. Junior State members learn
about the opinions of others and become more
tolerant of them, as well as learning to examine
and refine their own political opinions. This bring-
ing together and exchanging of ideas and opin-
ions is one of the best ways the Junior State ac-
complishes its goals.
There are three main types of activities in
the Junior State. These are conferences, con-
ventions and chapter meetings. Conventions are
put on by the Junior State government, chapter
meetings by the chapter leaders and conferences
by both.
Conferences
Conferences are usually day long meet-
ings held at colleges, high school campuses,
courthouses and other places with meeting facili-
ties. They are put on throughout the year by indi-
vidual chapters, the regions and states. Most con-
ferences are centered around examining some
topic, such as education in America, or an up-
coming election. They feature a wide variety of
debates, guest speakers, thought talks, simula-
tions and other activities examining the topic.
Most of the regions in the Junior State put
on two one-day conferences a year, one in the
Fall and one in the Spring. These regional confer-
ences usually attract from fifty to a few hundred
high school students from schools within the re-
gion. Members of other regions are free to attend
as well. Admission is usually five dollars at the
door and the conferences run from about nine in
the morning to five in the afternoon with a hour or
so for lunch.
Individual chapters may also host a day
long conference. These chapter conferences are
frequently called “Mini-conferences”. In the spring,
many of these conferences include candidates’
forums where students running for Junior State
office can speak and answer questions about their
platforms and campaigns. Chapter conference
admission is usually about five dollars and usu-
A-16
ally run about the same hours as the regional con-
ferences. Some chapters hold evening confer-
ences called “Debate Nights” where students
gather together for an evening and debate issues
and eat pizza for a few hours. For more informa-
tion on hosting and planning chapter conferences
and debate nights, see the section on "Chapter
Conferences."
Some of the states in the Junior State put
on conferences as well. These frequently include
‘Leadership Conferences’ where chapter, regional
and state leaders convene for a day to discuss
leadership training and methods and how to bet-
ter the organization at all the different levels. They
frequently hold workshops and other activities
where chapter leaders can learn the many skills
necessary to run a successful chapter
Conventions
A few times each year, each of the Junior States
put on conventions where high school students
from across that state gather to discuss and de-
bate the issues that matter to American youth the
most. These conventions are usually held in ho-
tels in large cities, last two to three days and at-
tract as many as two thousand student delegates.
Most people find these conventions to be one of
the most exciting aspects of the Junior State.
Most of the Junior States put on three con-
ventions each year. In the Fall, usually in Novem-
ber, there are the annual Fall State conventions.
Between January and February are the Congress
Conventions, also called Winter State in some of
the states. Between April and May are the Spring
State conventions where elections for next year’s
Junior State officers are usually held.
The Fall and Spring State conventions usu-
ally focus on a wide variety of different activities
organized into time periods called “blocks”. Each
delegate is free to attend the activities that (s)he
finds the most interesting each block. The activi-
ties include debates, thought talks, simulations,
panel discussions, mock trials and many more.
The Congress Conventions or Winter States are
a simulation of the United States Congress where
delegates attend as either Senators or Represen-

tatives and debate legislation on the Senate and
House ‘Floors’. During the evening hours, dances
and other social activities are held where del-
egates can meet interesting and involved students
from all over their state. Junior State conventions
are student run and all the activities, simulations,
speakers and social activities are created, planned
and run by student leaders.
There are many things you can do to pre-
pare your chapter for a convention to ensure that
they get the most out of the experience. For sev-
eral suggestions on this, please see the section
on “Preparing your Chapter for a Convention”.
A-17
The Junior State of America -- An Overview
Chapter Activites
The most important activities in the Junior State
are those that take place in the individual chap-
ters. Chapter activities have always been and will
remain the most effective way of reaching indi-
vidual members and educating and involving them.
Indeed, the chapter meeting is the very core of
the Junior State experience. They are also the
ones over which you, the chapter leader, have di-
rect control. In this sense, the greatest responsi-
bility in the Junior State is not put in the hands of
the Governors or Mayors, but left up to the indi-
vidual Chapter Presidents. Chapter Presidents
are the most important leaders in the organiza-
tion. It is ultimately up to you to determine the
success or failure of the Junior State program.
Running your chapter and your chapter
activities is so important that the majority of this
binder is dedicated to its full explanation.
Junior State of America
Teacher/Advisors
The Teacher/Advisor is the backbone of
the Junior Statesmen program. The following
thoughts should help to define the Teacher/
Advisor’s role. While some other high school
groups treat their faculty sponsors as glorified
chaperons, JSA depends upon its Teacher/
Advisors to insure the program’s educational
value. The organization’s emphasis on greater
involvement in public issues makes this role
more demanding - and necessary. The Junior
Statesmen Foundation has found that the most
successful Teacher/Advisors encourage their
chapter members to examine carefully all sides
of an issue. When the students make mistakes,
careful counseling by the Teacher/Advisor can
turn the mistakes into valuable learning expe-
riences. The Teacher/Advisor’s active partici-
pation is essential for a high quality chapter edu-
cational program.
Before the role of the Teacher/Advisor
can be defined, there must be a basic under-
standing of the Junior Statesmen program.
THE JUNIOR STATE OF AMERICA
The Junior Statesmen organization is an
educational program carried on in cooperation
with high schools. The organization’s motto is
“Make Democracy Work”, and to implement
its objective of cultivating good citizenship, the
Junior Statesmen program emphasizes two ar-
eas of education. First, it is concerned with
fostering understanding of the American sys-
tem of law and democratic government. Sec-
ond, the program emphasizes leadership train-
ing, public speaking, writing, and parliamentary
procedure - the vital skills of active citizenship.
The organization is nonpartisan, nonprofit, non-
sectarian, and nondiscriminatory.
Because citizenship experience can only
be gained by active participation, almost all as-
pects of the program are carried out by stu-
dents. With a minimum of adult assistance,
almost all lawmaking, communication, public-
ity, convention arrangements, budget planning,
and expansion projects are the responsibilities
of the national, state, regional, and chapter gov-
ernments, run by the students themselves.
The Junior State is organized on three
levels - chapter, region, and state. The
grassroots of the organization is the chapter.
Run by interested students, a chapter may be
established in any public or private high school
or in the ninth grade of a junior high school.
After submitting a chapter constitution, turning
in annual dues (taxes) and obtaining a charter,
chapters are members of the Junior State.
Through the state, regions, and chapters, stu-
dents are provided with opportunities to develop
and practice qualities of effective leadership
within a democratic environment.
JSA chapters meet weekly, bi-weekly or
monthly and are the center of nonpartisan po-
litical activity on their high school campus. Sev-
eral times a year, chapters send delegates to
day-long regional conferences, and two to three
times a year the Junior State holds weekend-
long conventions.
THE JUNIOR STATESMEN
FOUNDATION
For over 60 years, The Junior Statesmen
Foundation has helped sponsor and guide the
Junior State of America program. It has the
overall responsibility of providing stability and
continuity and maintains offices in California
and Washington D.C. With a full-time staff of
approximately 20 professionals, the Founda-
tion coordinates the nationwide program, as-
sisting school administrators, Teacher/Advisors,
state and regional officers and the general JSA
member.
The Board of Trustees is the governing
body of the Foundation and is composed of
persons active in business, the professions,
and public service. A majority of the Trustees
were Junior State members in their youth.
The funds required to finance the services
provided by the Foundation are contributed by
individuals, corporations, foundations and other
organizations committed to the objectives of the
Junior Statesmen program. A small portion of
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER/ADVISOR
The Teacher/Advisor’s role is central in
achieving JSA’s objectives.
Working with Administrators. One of the
most important things a Teacher/Advisor can
do is help the students gain the understanding
and the enthusiastic backing of the school
administration. The Teacher/Advisor should
make administrators aware of the educational
benefits of the Junior Statesmen program. The
Teacher/Advisor should insist that the chapter
comply with school regulations on chapter
finances, convention permission slips and
outside speakers. He or she should be
convention registration fees also help maintain
the national headquarters.
The Junior Statesmen Foundation is
here to help Teacher/Advisors. If you have any
questions or need help or materials, please call
our National Headquarters toll free at 800/334-
5353 or our Washington D.C. office at 800-317-
9338.
Junior Statesmen Foundation Summer
Schools and numerous Symposia on local and
state government develop leadership skills
through specialized education in government,
politics, written and oral expression, leadership
and ethics. The Junior Statesmen Summer
School is held at Yale, Stanford, Georgetown,
Northwestern and The University of Texas at
Austin to give the students an opportunity to
combine classroom instruction with the “real
world” of everyday college life. Week-long
Symposia are held at University of Southern
California and U.C. Davis in California,
Princeton University in New Jersey, and at the
University of Washington and University of
Texas in Austin. Day-long Symposia are held
in several California counties.
prepared to advocate on behalf of the chapter
when necessary.
Keeping Informed. The Teacher/Advisor will
receive copies of all major student publications
and should read them as they contain impor-
tant information on upcoming activities. Above
all, the Teacher/Advisor should carefully read
the Junior State of America Handbook and the
longer Junior State Chapter Binder. These pub-
lications have dozens of suggestions for chap-
ter programs, membership recruitment, fund-
raising, publicity, service club support, and joint
meetings with other chapters. We will not at-
tempt to cover the above topics here, so please
refer to the Handbook or other sections of the
Chapter Binder for further information.
Some Specific Suggestions
1. The Junior Statesmen seeks to
train LEADERS for effective citizenship and
service to the nation and therefore, it is neces-
sary that the local chapter attract members of
the highest caliber.
2. A Junior Statesmen Chapter is
only effective if it includes students with diverse
points of view, and from all backgrounds. The
excitement of JSA stems from the clash of
ideas. The chapter’s membership should re-
flect the racial and ethnic diversity of the entire
student body of your high school.
3. Chapter activities should help
train Junior State members to think critically and
logically and to express themselves well. Ac-
tual training in public speaking would be highly
effective in achieving this goal. Perhaps one
of the members of the faculty could give two or
three general talks to the entire chapter and do
some individual work at special meetings of
small numbers of chapter members.
4. See that all Junior State meetings
are well planned. Chapters should use parlia-
mentary procedure. Agendas should be pre-
pared in advance and distributed at the meet-
ing.
5. Collect membership taxes at the
beginning of each school year for the entire
year. Throughout the year, as new members
join, their taxes should be collected and sent
to the national office.
6. Obtain from your chapter’s Presi-
dent an accurate list of all members and par-
ents with addresses and telephone numbers.
This is invaluable to the Teacher-Advisor, helps
the members to keep in touch with each other,
and makes it easy to check the names to send
with dues and for registration for conventions.
7. Keep an accurate list of all mem-
bers with space provided for code marks for
dues paid, trip permits, or any other authoriza-
tions. (As a safeguard, it is important that a
new Teacher-Advisor be acquainted with school
regulations for school clubs and school trips.)
8. Be sure to have your chapter
members debate conference and convention
issues at your own chapter BEFORE they par-
ticipate at a regional conference or a state con-
vention. This will give them a chance to learn
debate procedures, practice persuasive think-
ing, and understand the arguments on both
sides of the issue.
9. It is good to have joint meetings
with a nearby chapter or chapters. One chap-
ter could put on a short debate. Another could
lead and informal discussion, also known as a
thought talk. Joint activities on local and com-
munity issues can show parents and adminis-
trators - and local politicians and community
groups, the value of JSA as a political educa-
tion organization.
10. Take as many members of your
Junior Statesmen chapter to a Regional Con-
ference as possible, as soon as you can after
you organize. This is an excellent way to kindle
interest.
11. Encourage your chapter mem-
bers to sign up to debate at a regional confer-
ence before they debate at a State Conven-
tion. They will do a much better job at the state
meeting if they have debated resolutions in their
own chapter and at a Regional Conference
before they debate at a State Convention where
the arguments are much more keen, more able,
and often more competitive.
12. Encourage the chapter not to
nominate its candidates for chapter office from
the floor only. Nominations from the floor may
result in snap nominations and election of weak
officials. The chapter might select a nominat-
ing committee of strong members AT LEAST
TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF THE ELECTION
who, in consultation with the Teacher/Advisor,
will recruit two strong candidates for each of-
fice and present this report to the meeting.
Additional nominations from the floor should
also be allowed.
13. Each year, every chapter should
send at least two or three students to a Junior
Statesmen Summer School or Symposia. The
Junior Statesmen programs are designed to de-
velop effective chapter and Junior State lead-
ers.
A chapter is no stronger than its Teacher/
Advisor(s) and student officers. Since the Jun-
ior Statesmen of America is an organization es-
tablished to help young people understand
American ideals, and to train them for leader-
ship in their communities, state, and nation, we
want to give them every advantage and all the
training possible to make them efficient, hon-
orable, and valuable leaders in governing our
democratic nation.
CONVENTIONS
The regional and state conventions are
integral parts of the Junior Statesmen program.
Both the planning and running of a convention
are important leadership training experiences
which the Junior Statesmen program, unlike
many other youth organizations, provides to its
student officers. The convention is an oppor-
tunity to put into use the skills so carefully cul-
tivated at the chapter level. Students who help
run the convention gain valuable leadership ex-
perience.
It is the Teacher/Advisor’s responsibility
to encourage his/her chapter to become famil-
iar with the basics of parliamentary procedure,
techniques of persuasive debate, and the ne-
cessity for adequate preparation prior to the
convention.
It is with the realization that a Teacher/
Advisor’s responsibilities are heavy that the fol-
lowing suggestions are offered. Awareness of
and compliance with the convention rules
makes the task of each individual much easier.
Experience indicates that the Teacher/Advisors,
student leaders and Foundation staff working
together -- under uniform standards -- can cre-
ate a pleasant and favorable environment for
the serious work of the convention. The fact
that we expect and achieve a markedly higher
standard of conduct than that of other youth
groups makes clear the value of these rules.
1. Each registrant must have his/her
Teacher/Advisor’s permission to attend the con-
vention. If you anticipate problems with an in-
dividual student, deal with your concerns be-
fore the student registers, by either refusing
permission to attend or discussing frankly your
concern and making very clear the standards
of conduct you expect.
2. Each Teacher/Advisor is respon-
sible for his/her students at all times during the
convention.
3. Teacher/Advisors should attend
convention activities with their delegations in
order to provide educational guidance.
4. Teacher/Advisors MUST PER-
SONALLY CHECK IN each of their OWN stu-
dents, in their rooms, at curfew time.
5. Teacher/Advisors should discuss
with their students ahead of time the conven-
tion rules, such as no smoking, drinking or
drug use, no room parties, no leaving their
rooms after curfew, attendance at all func-
tions, no leaving the hotel without permis-
sion, and the other rules listed on the Junior
State permission slip and convention registra-
tion packets.
 6. The students should be told that Conclusion
they are not to leave the premises where the
convention is being held after 8:00 p.m. unless Teacher/Advisors are key to a chapter’s
accompanied by the Teacher/Advisor. At all success. On behalf of the Junior State of
conventions, all teachers and all students are America and The Junior Statesmen Founda-
required to attend a roll call or chapter caucus, tion, we thank you for volunteering your pro-
generally at 8:00 p.m. We do this to be sure fessional skills. If you have any questions or
that everyone is safe and accounted for. concerns, we are here to help you. Please,
call us at (800)334-5353 or (800) 317-9338.
7. Any Teacher/Advisor at a JSA
convention should assume the responsibility
not only for his own students but for any stu-
dent who he or she sees misbehaving. Please
identify the student who misbehaves and bring
the fact to the attention of their Teacher/Advi-
sor or the Junior Statesmen staff. Report seri-
ous problems immediately to the Foundation’s
Program Director at the event.

8. The Teacher/Advisors will meet

together at each convention for the purpose of
discussing changes and improvements, mak-
ing suggestions for future conventions and
sharing ideas for the development of a better
and more educational JSA program.

9. The maximum number of stu-

dents accompanying each Teacher-Advisor is
nineteen. Teacher/Advisor lodging is free of
charge with a delegation of 3-19 students when
roomed in a twin room with another Teacher/
Advisor. If your school policy permits, parents
or spouses of teachers may assist with super-
vision provided that at least half of the supervi-
sors are teachers from the school. For ex-
ample, if a large chapter sends 95 delegates,
they are required to send a minimum of four
adults. Junior Statesmen rules require that two
of these be teachers at the school, but the other
two advisors may be school approved parents
or spouses.

10. Any student violating the rules

may be sent home after notification of the
student’s parents.
The Junior State Chapter

The Junior State chapter is the most The next twelve sections of the chapter
fundamental and important part of the organiza- binder are specifically designed to help you with
tion. The vast majority of the involvement and the tasks of running a chapter. The tools
education this organization accomplishes takes presented here combined with strong dedicated
place at the chapter level. Junior State chap- leadership can turn your Junior State chapter
ters can have a huge impact on the lives of high into the center of political awareness and
school students and have an equally meaning- education for your school and community and
ful impact on their high school campuses and bring the students of your high school some of
communities. the most valuable and important lessons they
will learn.
Junior State chapters are sponsored by
their schools. They each must have a teacher-
advisor and at least eight tax paid members.
Junior State chapters hold regular meetings on
a weekly or biweekly basis and conduct activi-
ties such as debates, thought talks and simula-
tions. Chapters attend Junior State regional
and state conventions. Chapters can increase
their ability to educate and involve high school
students by publishing newsletters, holding
community discussions, running their own
conferences, inviting local officials and candi-
dates, running school wide forums and much
more. The goal of a Junior State chapter is to
foster political awareness and education among
the students of their school and to encourage
active citizenship.

The Ideal Junior State Chapter

It is hard to define what makes the Leadership

perfect Junior State chapter. A chapter that is
doing the best possible job of educating, involv-
ing and representing the youth of their school
and community is living up fully to the goals of
the organization. There is no chapter that
cannot find some way of improving its effective-
ness, so there is really no such thing as an
ideal Junior State chapter. Nevertheless, the
following guidelines were set up as a way of
checking where your chapter may be lacking
and where it is living up to most of its potential
as a Junior State chapter.
• as many people as possible are involved in
the chapter leadership
• has a committed teacher/advisor
• underclassmen hold leadership roles
• officers attend all activities
• officers delegate work
• officers communicate with other chapters
• planning takes place at separate officers’
meeting
• boring stuff is kept to a minimum but
dealt with thoroughly

B -1
Activities
• maintains interest of chapter members
• activities vary every week
debates on current hot issues
debates on perennial JSA topics
thought talks
guest speakers
debater/moderator workshops
take part in school issues
mock trials
impromptu speaking contests
teacher debates
• holds political activities to involve members
letter-writing campaigns
mock elections
voter registration drives
• involves the entire school in politics
• includes and plans activities with other clubs
• has good publicity for activities including
signs, posters, and articles in the high
school newspaper
• has effective membership drives
• has successful fund-raisers
• has social “bonding” events for chapter
members
• holds a mini-conference
• has inter-chapter activities
Maintaining Chapter Interest
• has a chapter newsletter and chapter
calendars
• publishes articles in the school newspaper
• varies activities and involves other chapters
• only meets when there is something planned
B -2
Communication
• members are informed of chapter, regional,
and state activities
• a chapter phone tree is established
• Chapter President is in contact with state &
regional officers
• Chapter President is in touch with state &
regional Chapter Affairs official
• Chapter President is in contact with other
Chapter Presidents in area
• Chapter Presidents and officers talk
regularly with their teacher-advisor
Conventions & Conferences
• brings a large delegation to all conventions
• attends mini-conferences & regional
one-day conferences
• finds transportation for all members
• reduces cost for overnight conventions
by fund-raising
Community Involvement
• attends school board and city council
meetings
• gets members working on political campaigns
• holds voter registration drives
• invites politicians to come speak
• becomes involved in community issues
• encourages student activism on all
sides of an issue
Running a Junior State Chapter
The job of running a Junior State chapter
is not an easy one. Strong chapters can take
years to build. This binder was written to make
the job of running a Junior State chapter a little
bit easier.
The following sections of this binder
specifically deal with running a Junior State
chapter. You’ll find numerous time-tested
methods for building a strong, vibrant and
overall successful Junior State chapter. You
may not need all the information in here -- some
of it may not apply to your chapter, some of it
you may already know and some of it may not
even work for your chapter. Use these sections
as you wish -- as a step by step guide or an
occasional reference. However you decide to
B -3
make use of it, we hope you will find it helpful in
improving the overall quality of your chapter.
Remember that Junior State officers and
the Junior State office are always there to help
you with problems and offer you advice. Turn
to them whenever you cannot find what you
need in this text. And don’t forget that your
teacher/advisor has a wealth of experience. In
the end, whatever works for your specific
chapter is what you should do, and what you
think you should do may be the best advice
anyone can offer you.
Starting A Junior State Chapter
If your school does not currently have a
Junior State chapter, this section is for you.
Starting a Junior State chapter requires pa-
tience, dedication and hard work, but the
rewards are tremendous. A successful Junior
State chapter can bring political education and
involvement to an apathetic high school campus
and have a huge effect on many individuals’
lives.
This section gives you a step-by-step
process that you can follow to put together a
responsive, active Junior State Chapter. If you
have any questions or problems starting a
chapter at your high school, contact the Junior
State National Headquarters at 1/800/334-5353.
Step One:
Contact the Junior State Office
Contact the Junior State National Head-
quarters to obtain copies of the Junior State
Handbook, a tax form, and current literature
that describes the organization and upcoming
events in detail. Use these materials when you
explain the program to interested students,
teachers, and administrators at your school.
Having printed material in hand makes it easier
to describe and promote the program. Show
this literature to all of your friends, even if you
think they “wouldn’t be interested in this sort of
thing.” You might be surprised at their re-
sponses.
Step Two:
Find a Teacher/Advisor
Every chapter must have a teacher/
advisor. Your teacher/advisor will accompany
your chapter to conventions and attend chapter
meetings as well as offer valuable advice. Your
teacher/advisor is your link to the school admin-
istration; teachers can help explain to your
administration exactly what your chapter is
doing. Make sure that he or she will actively
work with you and not just provide an official
signature whenever one is needed.
If you are having trouble finding a
teacher/advisor, your social studies department
B-4
chair, counselor, principal or activites director
may be able to help you. Some teachers may
feel they have too little time to devote to the
organization. Emphasize that it is a student-run
organization and most of the work will be done
by you and the other student leaders of the
chapter. Review the Junior State Handbook
and skim through the Chapter Binder with
potential teacher/advisors and suggest that they
contact the Junior State office for any additional
information and assistance.
Step Three:
Organize a Founders’ Meeting
Call a well-planned meeting of all inter-
ested students to organize your chapter. This
“Founders’ meeting” should include your
teacher/advisor and three or four people who
will help you put the chapter together.
Step Four:
Get Approval From Your Administration
Talk with your principal and director of
student activities. Get their approval for the
proposed chapter as an extra-curricular activity.
Once sold on the value of the Junior State,
administrators can be very helpful and will often
become strong supporters of the organization
once they see what it can accomplish and do
for the school.
Do not make the mistake of trying to
work around your administration. Many chap-
ters have been hampered by principals and
other administrators who did not understand the
Junior State. Become familiar with school
policies, rules, and procedures — whose ap-
proval you need, how to get equipment or a
place to meet, forms that need to filled out. On
most campuses, new clubs must submit their
chapter constitution for student government
approval.
Step Five:
Get Support from Student Government
Approach your student government offi-
cials with your proposed chapter. Get their
support as they are potential members and may
be a source of financial support. You will need
a charter as an official extra-curricular activity
and a student council that will look out for your
interests when scheduling school-wide events.
Step Six:
Look for Potential Members
Get other student leaders at your school
interested in the Junior State. Speak to govern-
ment, speech, and history classes and tell them
about the organization. Approach the Honor
Society, Debate Team, Journalism Staff, ethnic
clubs and other groups on campus. Ask your
teachers if they know students who would be
interested. Be sure to not only recruit one kind
of member — aim for diversity. Remember, all
students have opinions and can contribute to
your chapter, so try to get students of every
type to join. Getting rid of the idea that your
chapter is only for a certain type of student can
be difficult later, so it is best to achieve diversity
in your chapter in its early stages. For a thor-
ough look at chapter publicity, see the section in
this binder entitled “Publicity”.
Step Seven:
Writing a Chapter Constitution
Writing a chapter constitution is a lot
easier than it sounds. A sample constitution
and guidelines for writing an acceptable consti-
tution can be found later in this section of the
binder as well as in the Junior State Handbook.
If you like, you can copy the framework pro-
vided there and refine it after your chapter is
founded. All constitutions must adhere to the
Fundamental Principles listed at the beginning
of this binder and to any school rules.
The structure of your chapter government
and the procedures you choose to adopt are up
to you and the other members of your chapter.
For a detailed description of how to write your
chapter constitution and the basic guidelines
you must follow, please see the section below
entitled “Writing a Chapter Constitution”. Your
Chapter Constitution should be mailed to JSA
national office. Unless you hear back quickly,
you can assume that it has been approved.
B -5
Step Eight:
Organize your First Meeting
Call a well planned meeting of all your
potential members. This meeting should be
designed to promote your new Junior State
chapter and also get the chapter organized for
the year to come. Make sure that this meeting
is interesting and productive so that potential
members can see that you are organized.
If you need assistance setting up this first
meeting, contact the Junior State Office. Junior
State student officials from other high schools
are often available to come to your meeting and
relate the Junior State experience. They can
also give you organizational tips and advice.
You can contact these students through the
Junior State Office.
Step Nine:
Collect Taxes
Collect and send your annual state taxes
of $3.00 per member to the Junior State Office.
Send your ratified constitution to the Junior
State Office; remember to save a copy for your
records. Upon receipt of your taxes for at least
eight members, your chapter will be officially a
part of the Junior State. Elect your chapter
officers and set up a chapter calendar of
events.
Step Ten:
Start Having Chapter Activities
Publicize the establishment and chartering
of your chapter in school and community news-
papers. Seek community support from organi-
zations like the Kiwanis Club, Optimist Club,
Rotary Club, Lions Club and the League of
Women Voters.
Start recruiting chapter leaders for the
years to come. All of your work thus far will be
worthless if the chapter disappears when you
graduate. Encourage underclassmen to attend
Junior State conferences and to help in plan-
ning chapter events. By training them now, you
can count on them to take over the chapter
when you leave.
CHAPTER PLANNING

Locate your Chapter’s Deficiencies officers or simply anybody interested in

Richard Chilton, a JSA leader in the helping out. Also, include your teacher/
1960’s, identified some of the main defi- advisor, who often has the connections and
ciencies of Junior State Chapters. Does the know-how to help you.
your chapter have any of these problems?
Your first Chapter Officers Meeting
Lack of interesting things for your
At the earliest possible time, we
chapter to do.
suggest that you have a meeting with your
Lack of enough interested members to
chapter officers and teacher/advisor. At this
accomplish anything.
meeting you should discuss your chapter
Lack of knowledge of JSA activities on the
and its future, along with your plans for the
regional and state levels.
year. Consider the following things:
Lack of knowledge of JSA’s goals, mis-
sion, philosophy, history, and
Goals: The Junior State of America
government.
was founded with very specific goals in
Lack of public speaking ability among
mind — to get high school students aware
chapter members.
of and involved in the American political
Lack of publicity or how to get it.
process. We strive to achieve this goal in
Lack of money or knowledge of successful
two ways: by conducting political educa-
fundraisers.
tion/awareness activities and by having
Lack of long range planning.
students run their own government. The
Lack of communication with state and re-
political education activities give students
gional governments.
an awareness of local, state, national, and
Lack of records.
international political issues. The student-
Lack of cooperation between administra-
run nature of the Junior State lets student
tors, teacher/advisors, and parents.
leaders develop an appreciation of the
Lack of knowledge concerning leadership
values and principles of a democracy.
and administration.
How will your chapter strive to meet JSA’s
goals?
Check off your chapter’s problems
— don’t be ashamed to check all of them —
Administration: You should decide
and get going on solving them. This binder
what your administrative duties will include
is designed to help you attack these prob-
for the year and how you intend to get them
lems.
done. Administrative duties include print-
ing, chapter records, your treasury, a scrap-
Your Power Base book for the E.A. Rogers Chapter of the
You, as a Chapter President, are an Year Award, distributing flyers, etc. You and
elected public official. As such, you are your officers should decide at the beginning
expected to be not just an administrator, of the year who will be responsible for
but, more importantly, a leader. All leaders which duties. Will you need to appoint
need a “power base” in order to accomplish cabinet members to help out? Try to make
things. Your power base will be the people sure that there are jobs for eager under-
in your chapter who you can count on to get classmen who want to help out. Also make
things done. This can be your chapter sure that no one is burdened with too many
responsibilities or impossible duties.

B -6
 Chapter Program: Most chapters Think about the following facts about your
have never developed a good plan to guide chapter membership:
their activities. It is, however, a great ad-
vantage to have one, so that your chapter - Age
members and you know what is happening - Number of chapter members
and when. A good program responds to the - Their sex
needs of your chapter members and your - General social habits
school community. Before you come up - Political beliefs
with an overall program for the year, you - Preferences in JSA activities
must evaluate these needs. - How well the members know each other

Creating your Chapter Program You want to have plenty of activities

that will satisfy your current members, but
As soon as you are elected, you and
because JSA strives to reach all high
your fellow chapter officers should begin
school students, you will want some activi-
planning your chapter’s program. You will
ties that will appeal to other members of
probably want to plan your chapter’s pro-
your campus community. For example, if
gram one semester at a time.
your chapter is made up of older, seasoned
debaters, you might find that holding de-
Psychology of a Program: Most
bate workshops or informal thought talks
people join organizations for the following
might appeal to freshmen and sophomores
reasons:
who don’t have much practice in public
speaking. The tricky part of putting your
- Security and social acceptance
program together is balancing activities that
- Personal growth and development
are popular with your current members with
- Accomplishment and achievement
activities that will attract new members.
- Understanding of a subject
This will help diversify your chapter mem-
- Recognition by peers
bership and ultimately make your chapter
- Self-expression
stronger and more stable.
- Sense of worth
- Meet people and make friends
Have a meeting with your chapter
officers and other key chapter members to
Nicolo Machiavelli, in his classic, The
get ideas for your chapter program. The
Prince, maintained that there are two ways
more people in on the planning, the more
to preserve power. One is through fear and
likely the program will have the whole
terror, the other is through keeping people
chapter’s support. Don’t try to develop your
happy. Although Machiavelli preferred the
program by yourself, get as much input as
former, as a JSA political leader, you will do
possible. Remember, every public official
better by trying to keep your chapter mem-
needs to be in touch with his or her con-
bers happy, so keep the above list in mind.
stituents. Being a chapter president is no
If a member quits, it may be because JSA
different — if you assume that you always
has failed to meet one of the above require-
know what is best for your chapter, you may
ments for that person.
be the only person at the chapter meetings.
How to plan a program: Your pro-
gram must fulfill the intellectual and social
needs of your chapter members. Before
planning your program, analyze the
makeup of your chapter membership.

B -7
SAMPLE CHAPTER CALENDAR

Activities Calendar
Riverdale High School Junior State of America Chapter
First Semester

Week 1 “What is JSA” Meeting, plus pizza party after school.

Week 2 - Monday Business Meeting
Week 2 - Thursday Debate on Affirmative Action
Week 3 Business Meeting
Week 4 Adult Speakers from the Democratic and Republican
Parties
Week 5 Fund Raiser — Bake Sale
Week 6 - Thursday Debate Workshop & Arrange car pools for
Regional Conference
Week 6 - Saturday REGIONAL CONFERENCE
Week 7 Business Meeting
Week 8 Thought Talk on Aid to Russia
Week 9 Pot Luck Dinner — Pre Fall State Meeting w/parents
Week 10 - Sat. & Sun. FALL STATE CONVENTION
Week 11 Business Meeting
Week 12 Question and Answer session with
School Board member
Week 13 Business Meeting
Week 14 Holiday Party
Week 15 Vacation
Week 16 Softball game with rival chapter
Week 17 Business Meeting
Week 18 Mock City Council Meeting
Week 19 Business Meeting: Planning for next semester
Week 20 End of Semester Party

This sample chapter calendar has — whether at a business meeting or partici-

many advantages. It is one semester long
so that it can be evaluated and modified for
the second semester. Secondly, the big
events are spaced out to allow adequate
time for planning, publicity, and for the
participants to research topics. More impor-
tantly, all the members don’t feel they are
over burdened with too many events. Your
chapter’s leaders, however, should have
the dedication to meet at least once a week
pating in one of the events.
What Activities to Include: There are many
activities that can be included in your
chapter’s program. Literally, the possibili-
ties are endless: speakers, films, debates
of all styles, seminars, simulations, field
trips, etc. An appendix is included in the
back of the handbook to give you a few
general ideas.

B -8

General Planning: The following is a
list of important considerations that should
be taken care of before putting on an event:
• Advance publicity to chapter members
and the rest of the school community.
• A suitable meeting place
• Confirming guest speakers and main
participants well in advance.
• Refreshments, if appropriate.
In general, sitting down and writing
out your program for the semester is half
the battle. Once you’ve done that, it is easy
to remain organized for the whole year.
Don’t be afraid to be specific in planning
your program. Usually, you will have plenty
of time to compensate for any setbacks.
Distribute your calendar for the semester to
your chapter members so they will know
what to expect in advance.
Evaluating your program: When you
meet to plan the activity calendar for the
second semester, evaluate your program
using the same criteria you used to develop
it. Try to learn from your mistakes.
• Did it meet the needs of your members?
• Did it hold their interest?
• Did it attract new members?
• Was there a good balance of activities?
• Was there any opposition from your
chapter?
The Chapter and Your School
The chapter’s relationship to the
school is an all-important factor that you
must consider at all times. The school is
the base from which chapters operate. Not
only must you consider the chapter’s image
among the student body, but also you must
think about the chapter’s reputation with the
school administration. You must always
B -9
• Was it too expensive for your members?
• Did your program attract any reaction or
support from your community?
• Was it enjoyable?
• Is your Teacher/Advisor interested and
agreeable to your activities?
• Did it attract any reaction or support from
your school’s administration and faculty?
and, overall,
• Was your program constructive, educa-
tional, and of value to the school and com-
munity?
You might pass out evaluation forms
to your chapter members to get their opin-
ions and reactions. Go out of your way to
do this, especially with members who have
missed the last few events. Evaluations let
people know that you care about their
opinions and give them a sense that they
are involved in the planning. You will prob-
ably get a good deal of constructive criti-
cism which will help you plan better in the
future.
Where to meet and when: Figuring
out where and when to meet can factor into
the success of your activities. If you plan to
have lengthy meetings, they should be after
school or at night. When scheduling, re-
member to consider other demands for
student’s time: school, homework, sports,
jobs, other activities.
consider your relations with non-JSA mem-
bers, your relations with the faculty, and
your relationship with the administration.
Relations with other students
How do students view JSA on your
campus? Is it considered to be an organi
zation of briefcase carriers who have lost times even funding. On the other hand,
touch with reality? Is it an exclusive social your administration can prevent your chap-
clique? Are you leftists, rightists, intellectu- ter from fund raising on campus, going to
als, or idiots? Is your chapter the “IN” club overnight conventions, or even prevent the
on campus or is it “in” with the “out” crowd? existence of the chapter all together.
The student body’s impression of the chap-
ter is important to consider when you are Never assume that your administra-
publicizing events and trying to increase tion will be antagonistic towards your chap-
your membership. All students at your ter. You should meet with the principal or
school should feel like the JSA chapter is other administrator who is in charge of
the place to learn about politics and govern- clubs on campus. Let them know that
ment and to express their opinions. Do having an active JSA chapter on campus
things which will identify your chapter as an can enrich the school community and bring
active and useful club. pride to the whole school. Tell them your
plans for the year and show them how your
Relations with teachers chapter can benefit the entire student body.
Remember to emphasize your chapter
Because the Junior State’s activities
activities on campus, not the overnight
are educational, you should try to make the
conventions — your chapter activities
chapter known to as many teachers as
benefit the campus while the overnight
possible. Let social studies teachers know
conventions represent more work and
about all of your events. History teachers,
supervisory issues for the administrators.
government/civics teachers, the journalism
advisor, and other social studies teachers
Some chapters involve administra-
can be particularly helpful in spreading the
tors in activities. JSA chapters often be-
word about your chapter’s activities. Some
come active in reforming school policy.
teachers may even offer extra credit to their
Whether it be changing a dress code,
students who participate in your chapter’s
opening up your campus at lunch time, or
educational activities. Having a good
effecting the editorial policy of your school
reputation among teachers can be impor-
newspaper, your Junior State chapter can
tant if you need additional teachers to
affect school policy if you involve adminis-
accompany your chapter to overnight con-
trators in the correct way.
ventions. Holding a debate with two popu-
lar teachers as the main speakers can be a
very successful event. Your Teacher-
advisor can be very helpful identifying
teachers who are influential at your school.

Relations with your school’s

administration
Whenever you plan an event, keep
in mind your school’s administration reac-
tion. Principals, Vice-Principals, and coun-
selors can be phenomenally helpful or
incredibly frustrating depending on their
view of your chapter. On one hand, your
administration can help your chapter with
meeting space, transportation, and some-

B -10
Organizing Your Chapter
How you choose to organize your chapter is largely up to you and your members.
You may decide to follow the traditional structure of four elected chapter officers and a few
appointed cabinet members, or you may decide to try something slightly different. The
decision is left up to you and your chapter members to decide based on what you want to
accomplish and how you want things to work. The following are just some pointers to
assist you with building your chapter structure.

• Use your people and resources well
Try to take full advantage of the
resources and people you have available to
you. Carefully look at each person and
figure out how their skills, talents and abili-
ties could be best utilized by your chapter.
If you have a member who is a fantastic
writer, find a way to have him/her write a
chapter sponsored column in the school
newspaper, or have that member be the
editor of your chapter newsletter. If some-
one is particularly knowledgeable about
current events, have them work with debat-
ers before speaking. If someone is an
excellent debater, have them coach your
less experienced debaters or run a debate
workshop for the chapter. Use everything
available to the best of your abilities.
• Work closely with your teacher/advisor
Your teacher/advisor is there to help
you when needed and can be fundamental
to your chapter’s success. The Junior State
is fundamentally a student-run organization,
but chapters work best when their teacher/
advisor is part of the planning and can help
with advice. Your teacher/advisor can help
your chapter reach new members, explore
new topics, and work with your school’s
administration. Chapters that minimize
their teacher/advisor’s role often struggle to
survive.
Student leaders should not neglect
mundane duties and expect their teacher/
advisor to handle them. Some schools
require faculty members to handle certain
administrative duties - meet with your
teacher/advisor and administration to find
out what things must handled by a faculty
member and what can be handled by chap-
ter officers.
Remember, your teacher/advisor is
volunteering time and energy to help your
chapter -- treat them well. Be sure that
your teacher/advisor is consulted before
any decision is made and before any meet-
ings or programs are announced.
• Set out goals to guide your chapter
Setting out goals at the start of each
year or semester can help guide your
chapter and its activities. Meet with a few
key leaders to discuss what has gone right
and what has gone wrong with your chapter
in the past. Formulate some simple and
specific goals that you want your chapter to
aim for this year. Structure your chapter
around accomplishing these goals. For
instance, a chapter might have very good
meetings but low turnout and little recogni-
tion on campus. This chapter might set
better public relations as one of its main
goals and work specifically on the
chapter’s publicity and bringing in more
members.
Make sure that everyone knows what
your chapter’s goals are and discuss them
and how they are coming along throughout
the year. At the end of the year, consider
writing up a brief report for future chapter
leaders on what your chapter’s goals were.
This will be very valuable to future leaders.
• Don’t make things unnecessarily com-
plicated
Most of the things that a chapter tries
to accomplish can be done with minimal
amount of complication. Some chapters
think that by setting up elaborate councils,
boards of directors and other complicated
structures, they will strengthen their chap-
ter. They usually find that all they really
accomplish is confusing people and wasting
a lot of people’s talents. A simple structure
where responsibilities are clearly defined is
usually the most efficient way to run a
chapter.
• Clearly define who is responsible for
different tasks
Running a chapter is a big responsi-
bility and involves many different tasks.
When a chapter doesn’t clearly define who
is responsible for which tasks, accountabil-
ity is lost and jobs are left undone. Clearly
defining who is responsible for the different
aspects of running your chapter will ensure
that all the necessary tasks get done and
people are held responsible for their work.
Compile a list of all the major tasks that the
chapter must do. These may include plan-
ning meetings, signing up participants,
publicity, convention registration, financial
records, fund-raising, running a chapter
conference, taking minutes, publishing a
newsletter and many more chapter related
tasks. Then figure out from among your
chapter leaders who is best able to take
care of each. Be sure not to give too many
responsibilities to one person -- no matter
how capable, an overworked leader will
produce inferior work.
• Don’t let titles get in the way of being
productive
Each person in your chapter leader-
ship will usually only have one job or title to
which they are assigned. However, each
person will likely have many different skills
that they can offer the chapter. Just be-
cause the abilities of someone are not all
under their official title, is no reason to
prevent them from using their skills to help
the chapter. If your Director of Debate is
also a fantastic letter writer, have him/her
write some important letters. If your chap-
ter secretary is an experienced debater,
have him/her help train those with less
experience. Use the skills and resources
you have to the best of your ability -- don’t
let artificial titles and roles prevent that.
• Stick to your constitution’s guidelines
Remember that any power the chap-
ter leaders have to structure their chapter is
only given to them by their chapter constitu-
tion. When deciding how your chapter
should work, you must pay special attention
to the structures already stipulated in your
chapter constitution. If it states that certain
decisions must be made by a majority of all
the chapter’s members, you cannot make
that decision without their consent. Well
written constitutions usually are flexible
enough to allow for many structural
changes from year to year to meet the
changing needs of a vibrant chapter. How-
ever, if your chapter constitution limits what
you can do, you must adhere to those
limits. Changing your constitution can only
be done by the process outlined in your
constitution itself.
• Make things flexible enough to endure
unforeseeable changes
Your chapter structure should be
such that it can survive a reasonable
amount of change and turmoil. Making
things unnecessarily rigid is asking for
greater difficulty when changes occur. In
the course of a year, people may resign,
your teacher-advisor may change, school
rules may change, other clubs may form
and much more. Creating your chapter
structure with enough flexibility to accom-
modate such changes will ensure that your
chapter will be resilient when changes hit.
The Different
Parts of a J.S.A. Chapter

The Chapter President are high in both quality and attendance.

The Chapter President is ultimately Chapter Presidents call meetings to order
responsible for all the successes and fail- and preside over all business.
ures of the chapter. (S)he leads the chap-
ter in all its programs and must stay on top A Chapter President receives many
of all activities. The responsibilities are mailings and phone calls throughout the
great, but the rewards are greater, for it is year with information that they must forward
under the chapter president’s strong leader- on to their members. Chapter Presidents
ship that a chapter accomplishes its goals must see that their membership taxes are
of educating, involving and representing its paid and sent in. They also are responsible
members. for registering their chapter members for
state conventions. At conventions, the
The Chapter President must be a Chapter President sets the tone for good
leader. (S)he must be able to make in- conduct. Finally, a Chapter President must
formed decisions that will lead the chapter see that the other chapter leaders are well
in the right direction. At the same time, a trained.
Chapter President must be a follower.
(S)he must listen to what his/her members The Teacher Advisor
want and be responsive to their needs.
The Teacher/Advisor is an adult
advisor who oversees the activities of the
Chapter Presidents must be able to
chapter, provides adult supervision, attends
delegate. They must understand their
conventions with students and helps the
limitations and recognize the strengths of
chapter in numerous other ways. Teacher/
others. They must have a solid and diplo-
advisors in general understand that the
matic relationship with their school adminis-
organization is student-run and that they
tration and have respect from both students
are there primarily to take care of issues
and faculty at their school. They need to
that an adult must handle and to provide
have a trusting and honest relationship with
advice. However, successful chapters
their teacher-advisor and must be able to
usually find that involving their Teacher-
confide in him or her without worry. Most of
Advisor in officer meetings and decision
all, Chapter Presidents must have the
making can add a new perspective and
dedication and devotion needed to lead
make the chapter even more successful.
their chapters through all times, both good
and bad.
At the chapter level, teacher-advi-
sors should be involved in all the decision
Chapter Presidents serve as the
making processes of the chapter. Your
official leader of their chapter and represent
Teacher/Advisor should be included in all
them when needed. In accordance with
general meetings, officer meetings, chapter
their chapter constitution, they may appoint
conference meetings, and other meetings
a chapter cabinet to help with the tasks of
where important decisions are made.
running the chapter. Chapter Presidents
Chapter leaders should talk all ideas
are responsible for seeing that high quality
through with their Teacher/Advisor for an
educational and social programs are run for
additional perspective before acting.
the chapter members. They must see that
Teacher/advisors also usually sign school
meetings are called regularly and that they
forms such as PA Announcements and
provide a classroom where the chapter can
hold its meetings. If the chapter is holding
a chapter conference, the Teacher-Advisor
serves as the adult supervision for the day.
Teacher/Advisors can also be very
helpful in dealing with school administra-
tions, parents and other teachers. If you
are having difficulties gaining support from
your school’s administrators or other teach-
ers, your Teacher/Advisor may be able to
give suggestions or speak with them di-
rectly. A letter to parents from a Chapter
President and Teacher/Advisor before a
convention can make many parents feel
more comfortable.
At conventions, teacher/advisors
serve as supervisors for their delegates.
They are expected to register their chapter,
help enforce curfew, provide educational
advice to chapter members, keep their
delegates at convention activities at all
times, and at times assist The Junior
Statesmen Foundation in general conven-
tion supervision. If discipline problems
arise at a convention, the Teacher/Advisor
is expected to work with The Junior States-
men Foundation staff to handle it. A Chap-
ter President and Teacher/Advisor should
stay in close contact during conventions
and work closely together to keep things in
order.
Chapter Presidents should not be
afraid to appropriately use their Teacher-
Advisor for advice, ideas and support. At
the same time, chapter leaders must be
careful not to place too many responsibili-
ties on their Teacher/Advisor -- especially
responsibilities that a student leader could
handle. Chapter Presidents must assume
responsibility for keeping their Teacher/
Advisor excited about the chapter. They
cannot assume that their Teacher/Advisor
will keep the momentum going -- it is a
student-run organization and these sorts of
responsibilities rest on the student leaders.
Neither should Chapter Presidents expect
their teacher-advisors to remind them to do
things or of upcoming deadlines. Rather,
Chapter Presidents should remind their
teacher-advisors of deadlines and what
they need them to do for the chapter.
Chapter Presidents should see their
Teacher-Advisor as a partner -- a vital team
member -- in running the chapter. This can
be difficult when most students are used to
seeing their Teacher-Advisor as their
teacher. Creating a dual relationship -- one
as teacher-student and one as partner-
partner -- can be a real challenge, but by
talking openly and honestly with your
Teacher/Advisor, this sort of relationship
can be created.
Elected Officers
• The Vice President
The Vice President serves next in
line to the Chapter President. (S)he is
expected to assist the Chapter President
and take over if there is a vacancy in the
Presidency. The exact responsibilities of
Vice Presidents vary greatly from chapter to
chapter but may include overseeing cabi-
net, planning and running meetings, chap-
ter relations and many other tasks. Vice
Presidents are usually elected.
• The Treasurer
The Treasurer is responsible for all
the financial matters of the chapter. (S)he
must manage the chapter’s bank account, if
one exists, and should keep careful records
of all financial transactions. The Treasurer
makes sure that school policies, relating to
club finances are followed. The Treasurer
should be someone intelligent, meticulous
and trustworthy. Many smaller chapters
find that the actual work involved in the job
is little enough that it is simpler for the
Chapter President to handle it. The Trea-
surer may be either elected or appointed
depending on the chapter constitution.
• The Secretary
The Secretary has responsibilities
that fall under two main categories: record-
ing and corresponding. Some chapters
have so much work in each of these areas
that they appoint two separate secretaries --
a recording secretary and a corresponding
secretary. The tasks of recording include
taking minutes at chapter meetings (both
general and officer meetings), distributing
minutes, writing up plans and summaries of
activities and proposals for people to look
over. The corresponding tasks include
writing letters to chapter members, parents,
Junior State leaders, and other chapters.
Secretaries may be either elected or ap-
pointed depending on the chapter constitu-
tion.
Chapter Cabinet
The chapter cabinet is the engine
that runs the chapter. Chapter cabinet
members may be appointed or elected.
The chapter’s constitution should distin-
guish which positions are appointed and
which are elected. Under the leadership of
the Chapter President, both appointed and
elected cabinet members must work to-
gether to ensure that the goals of the chap-
ter are met and the programs well ex-
ecuted.
The chapter cabinet is the Chapter
President’s greatest tool. They will either
enhance or diminish the Chapter
President’s actions. The chapter cabinet
and Chapter President must have a solid
relationship -- tensions between the two
can greatly hurt an otherwise strong chap-
ter. When selecting appointed cabinet
members, a Chapter President should go to
every possible extent to ensure that the
most qualified and devoted individuals are
selected.
There are no limits on the possible
positions for your chapter cabinet. Some
restrictions may be set up in your chapter
constitution, but other than that, it is up to
the chapter leaders to determine what will
work best for the chapter that year. Some
of the common positions are described
below. Few chapters have all of these
positions and many chapters create posi-
tions not listed below. These are simply
described to give you an idea of some of
the common chapter cabinet positions that
many chapters have had.
• The Chief of Staff
The Chief of Staff is usually only
necessary for big chapters with big chapter
cabinets. The Chief of Staff is the Chapter
President’s right hand person and serves
as a link to the chapter cabinet. (S)he is
usually considered the head of the chapter
cabinet under the President. The Chief of
Staff may write memos to the cabinet, run
and plan cabinet meetings, assign tasks
based on the Chapter President’s plans,
and generally coordinate the jobs of the
entire chapter cabinet.
• Debate Director
The Director of Debate for the chap-
ter is in charge of running the chapter
debate program. (S)he must schedule and
plan debates in coordination with the other
chapter leaders. The Debate Director must
find debaters, help train them, find modera-
tors and ensure that the debates are high
quality and educational. (S)he may also
want to run debate and moderating work-
shops throughout the year and help prepare
people to participate in debates at confer-
ences and conventions. The Debate Direc-
tor should be knowledgeable and skilled in
Junior State debating and should be able to
help and comfort those less experienced
with debating. Debate Directors are usually
appointed; although ,they may be elected if
specified in the chapter constitution.
• Publicity/Membership Director

The Publicity Director oversees all
publicity for the chapter. (S)he should have
a firm sense of the chapter’s strengths, the
campus environment, and how the chapter
can best appeal to the students at the
campus. A good Publicity Director should
be willing to put in a great amount of work
to ensure that a positive image of the chap-
ter is spread around campus and around
the community. (S)he must understand
how best to use such tactics as PA An-
nouncements, posters, banners, fliers,
handouts, telephone calls, newspaper
articles, coordination with other clubs, letter
writing, individual invitations and personal
recruitment to enhance the chapter’s
strength and diversity.
• Chapter Conference Coordinator
For chapters holding chapter confer-
ences it is usually a good idea to have one
person to oversee the chapter conference
planning efforts. This person should be
able and willing to work with all the chapter
leaders involved in the conference planning
efforts. (S)he should spearhead the effort
but not completely control it, as a chapter
conference is an event for the entire chap-
ter. Chapter Conference Coordinators are
usually appointed sometime after the chap-
ter has determined that it will have a chap-
ter conference. For a much more detailed
description of the Chapter Conference
Coordinator and his/her responsibilities, see
the section in this binder on running a
chapter conference.
• Social Activity Director
The Social Activity Director sees that
the chapter maintains a social side in addi-
tion to the regular educational activities.
(S)he should work closely with many of the
other chapter leaders to ensure that the
social activities are a part of the entire
chapter program and not separate entities
unto themselves. Perhaps the greatest
challenge for the Social Activity Director is
to see that the social activities are in some
way educational and that they do not hinder
the overall educational goals of the chapter
program. Social Activity Directors are
usually appointed but may be elected if
specified in the chapter constitution. For a
more extensive look at the challenges and
goals of social activities in the chapter, see
the section of this binder on social activities.
• Fund Raising Director
The Fund Raising Director is for
some chapters the most important cabinet
member. The Fund Raising Director plans,
schedules, and runs the chapter’s fund
raising efforts for the year. For a chapter in
need of money for chapter events and to
attend conventions, the work done by this
cabinet member is indispensable. (S)he
must be able to understand the strengths
and weaknesses of all types of fund raisers
and figure out which ones will best work for
his/her chapter. (S)he must also be able to
motivate people to participate in fund rais-
ing. Fund Raising Directors are usually
appointed but may be elected if so speci-
fied in the chapter constitution. For a more
thorough look at fund raising techniques
and challenges, see the section in this
binder on fund raising.
• Chapter Historian
Some chapters have one person
solely dedicated to keeping a history of the
chapter and its events. Such a person
should be creative and understand the
value and importance of having lasting
records of chapter events, problems and
issues. The Chapter Historian should work
closely with the Secretary in keeping accu-
rate and complete records of all the chapter
events. These records can be an invalu-
able resource to future chapter leaders
when planning chapter events and facing
similar problems in years to come.
The Historian may also want to take
photographs of chapter events and collect
other chapter items in a chapter scrapbook.
Each year, at the Spring State conventions,
the Ernest A. Rogers Chapter of the Year
Award is given to the best chapter based on
teacher advisors and staff evaluations of
their chapter scrapbook. Chapter Histori-
ans are usually appointed but may be
elected of so specified in the chapter con-
stitution.
• Newsletter Editor
For chapters that wish to have a
chapter newsletter, having one person to
coordinate it is important. This person
generally should have final say (next to the
President) over the content and style of the
chapter newsletter. Newsletter Editors
should be knowledgeable about and in-
volved in the chapter and should be able to
work with all sorts of different people. They
should work closely with the Chapter Presi-
dent, Secretaries and Publicity Directors.
Newsletter Editors are usually appointed
but may be elected if so specified in the
chapter constitution.
• Other Officers
In the states with State Assemblies
or Houses of Representatives, each chap-
Being a Leader in Your
Chapter
Being a leader is difficult. It involves
many skills that do not come naturally to
everyone. The following section describes
many techniques that successful leaders
use to lead effectively. These are important
concepts and skills to understand and use
when leading a Junior State chapter and
should be understood by all the leaders in
your chapter.
ter must select one or more people to serve
as chapter representatives in either the
Assembly or House. The exact rules for
how many representatives each chapter
gets vary from state to state but are usually
based on the chapter’s membership. Usu-
ally these people are elected by the mem-
bers of your chapter, but in some situations
they may be appointed. For more informa-
tion on these positions, contact your State
Speaker, or Lt. Governor, or the Junior
State office.
When appointing cabinet members,
a Chapter President should take a lot of
time to make sure that (s)he is selecting
only the best possible people. These are
the people with dedication, knowledge,
experience and enthusiasm. Cabinet mem-
bers work well with others, can deal with
authority, can delegate when need be and
can appeal to and motivate groups of
people. Remember the cabinet represents
the chapter and gives the chapter its image,
therefore diversity should be a goal in
selecting the cabinet. Whether the selec-
tion process is done by application, inter-
view, or by another method, it is essential
that the Chapter President understand how
these decisions are important.
Making Decisions
There are innumerable decisions
that need to be made to run a chapter.
From what topics to debate to how to publi-
cize to when to hold a chapter conference
or membership drive, every decision is
important and the overall success of the
chapter is dependent on the quality of your
decision. There are a few guidelines you
should consider when making decisions.
First of all, one bases decisions on the
information you have. By increasing the
amount of information you have, you in-
crease the likelihood of making a good
decision. You should therefore involve as
many people as possible in making your
decisions. The more people involved, the
more ideas and solutions presented and
the greater the chances that you will make
a good decision. Ultimately, your chapter’s
strength rests largely on its diversity, and
the more people involved in every decision
the more diversity you will incorporate into
your chapter’s workings.
Next of all, don’t be greedy over
control. No leader can have every decision
go as (s)he thinks it should. A good leader
knows which decisions to let other people
make and which decisions to make him/
herself. If you hog control, you will likely
lose it. Try to have your decisions reflect
what your members’ interests are. They
are the ones who put you (either directly or
indirectly) in power and they are the ones
whose wishes you should reflect. Next, do
what you feel is best for the chapter in the
long run. Don’t think only of next week,
think of next month and of next year. A
decision that makes everyone happy right
now may in the long run not be the wisest.
Finally, remember that you are the leader.
What you feel is best for the chapter is
ultimately what should be done. Try to
reflect what your members’ want, but if you
feel strongly that some decision is best for
the chapter, make that decision. You are
the leader, and you are ultimately respon-
sible for the chapter.
Setting Goals
Setting clearly defined, reasonable
goals may be one of the most neglected
practices of many chapter leaders. Having
a chapter work towards something with a
clear purpose inspires people to put in their
best and to persevere even when things get
difficult. Setting these goals at the begin-
ning of the year is best. Base them on the
strengths and weaknesses of the chapter
the year before. Also take into consider-
ation the wants and needs of the chapter
members -- having your goals reflect the
members’ desires will mean more support
from them. That is your next challenge --
gaining support from them. Convince your
key chapter leaders that the goals -- the
agenda for the year -- is the direction the
chapter should be heading. Convince your
leaders, then convince members. Speak to
your chapter about the goals, how they
were created and how they will be reached.
Gain widespread support for them.
Throughout the year, look back on
your goals, and determine if you are indeed
working toward them. Evaluate your
chapter’s progress and then find ways in
which your chapter can improve even more.
Consider setting new goals part way
through the year once you have seen what
has and has not worked. Don’t just let
these goals slip by the wayside and never
be seen again. By constantly reaching for
something higher, your chapter will be a
dynamic, optimistic, stronger unit.
Delegating
There are many responsibilities
involved in being a Chapter President. The
ability to delegate is crucial to the role of
Chapter President. Finding competent
leaders you can trust and knowing what
assignments to give them are the key
elements to delegation. Who works hard?
Who volunteers for more responsibilities?
Who always comes through for you? Find
these leaders and use them when you have
jobs that you cannot do yourself. A good
Chapter President can and will trust other
leaders with many tasks.
Most people will feel valued and
even honored that they are being given
extra responsibilities. Once you have
delegated out work, stay on top of your
leaders’ progress. Hold them accountable
for what they accomplish. Don’t give extra
responsibilities to the leader who does a
bad job or finishes after a deadline. Re-
ward those leaders who work hard.
Assuming Responsibility
For many, the most difficult idea of
being a leader is responsibility. The idea
that you are responsible for all that your
chapter does or does not do might seem a
bit scary. Being Chapter President means
that all actions of your chapter are your
responsibility. You are responsible for them
at conventions, you are responsible for
them on campus. As Chapter President,
you cannot defer to a higher authority -- you
are the highest authority within the chapter.
You may feel that you can always count on
your Teacher-Advisor -- and you definitely
can -- but in a student-run organization it is
ultimately the student leaders who must
assume responsibility for the actions of the
organization.
Making Mistakes
As a chapter leader, you must as-
sume responsibility for yourself as well.
When you make a mistake, you must take
responsibility for it. Every leader will at
some point make mistakes. When you do,
do not feel too badly. There has not been a
leader in history who has been flawless.
The important thing is how you deal with
them once you make them. People will
have greater respect for you if you assume
responsibility for your mistakes, admit that
you made them, and try as hard as you can
to fix them. Never cover them up or blame
them on someone else -- attempts to cover
mistakes up almost always fail, and you will
wind up looking much worse and losing a
lot more of your members’ trust and re-
spect. Admit you made them, take respon-
sibility for them, fix them, learn from them
and move on. When people see that you
do not repeat them and that you continue to
put all your effort into leading the chapter,
they will likely forgive you and trust you very
quickly.
Avoiding Power Struggles
One of the problems with structure in
a chapter is that different people assume
different levels of responsibility and that not
everyone has the power and control that
they would like. This tension often mani-
fests itself in power struggles between
leaders who would otherwise be working
productively towards the same goals. Do
everything you can to avoid power struggles
in your chapter. Don’t let them develop
between leaders and yourself, and try to
prevent them from happening among other
leaders.
Power struggles are extremely de-
structive -- a chapter needs unity to reach
its full potential. Most power struggles
result in both sides losing. The key thing to
do is to compromise. Leaders cannot be
too strong willed or nothing will ever be
accomplished. Be the one to back down
first if you think you can. Don’t let juvenile
instincts make you the “loser” just because
you are willing to compromise. In the end,
you will actually wind up the winner for
being willing to compromise. If a struggle
develops over an issue that you feel is of
paramount importance, you may feel you
cannot in good conscience give in on that
point. It is then your responsibility to con-
vince your opposition of your side. If you
honestly feel so strongly about something,
you should be able to convince other lead-
ers of it as well. Don’t force someone to
support it by intimidating him/her. Convince
your opposition by rationally and logically
convincing him/her of your points. If your
opposition sees that you are willing to
compromise and really consider their
points, they are much more likely to do the
same for you. Also, keep in mind the whole
time the possibility that you are wrong and
your opponents are right -- after all, if they
feel so strongly that they are correct, they
must have a good reason.
Chapter leaders must remember that
the goal is not to win a victory for yourself
but to win one for the chapter. If you are
proven wrong but the right decision is made
for the chapter, you have all won in the end.
If this is the case, don’t be resentful or hold
grudges -- be glad that the chapter has the
strength of having a group of leaders with
diverse opinions and that in the end the
right decision has been made.
Gaining Support
One of the greatest skills in being a
good leader is learning how to set an
agenda or vision for the chapter and gain
support for it. This has been discussed in
relation to setting goals, making mistakes
and avoiding power struggles. If you are
Chapter President, you should have a
vision for your chapter. That vision should
be accomplished by the many goals you
have set for your chapter. Now not every-
one in your chapter may agree with you.
While you should listen to everyone and
take everyone’s thoughts into consideration
when setting your goals, in the end you
must be able to gain support for whatever
vision and goals you lay out.
There are numerous ways to con-
vince people of your ideas. Show them
facts that back up your plans. Discuss what
has and has not worked in the past. Ex-
plain why you think your plan is best. In
building up support, more important than
what to do is what not to do. Never force
someone to agree with you by convincing
him/her that (s)he is the only one who feels
that way. Singling people out or creating a
bandwagon of supporters may very well get
people to support you on the outside but
not in their hearts. You need supporters
who honestly agree with what you have to
say and do not simply give you their sup-
port because of social pressure. You need
to honor and respect the single
"objectioner" -- the one person with enough
courage to stand alone against the chapter
leader -- and discuss it with him/her and
see if you can agree with one another. This
is the art of compromise and debate and
they are the most fundamental skills of
statesmanship.
Creating Win/Win
Situations
There is a natural tendency to think
that all struggles must result in a winner
and a loser. One of the skills of being a
good leader is recognizing that this is not
always the case. Many times, the best
solution to a conflict is one in which both
parties win -- a win/win situation. These are
difficult to create, but in the end well worth
the effort. The key to creating win-win
situations is communicating and compro-
mising. Write out the points of each plan or
person’s ideas and then compare. On how
many points do you really disagree? And
on which points is the other person’s idea
actually better? On which points does the
other person see your points and agree
with you? By breaking down two different
plans into their individual pieces and really
analyzing them together, you may very well
find that you really don’t disagree on all that
many points. Those points on which you do
disagree must be negotiated and worked
out. It may be a long process, but the value
of coming to a mutually agreeable plan and
not leaving either side with lingering resent-
ments makes compromising worth the
effort. For a plan to be well executed, it
should have the support of the chapter
leaders.
Time Management
Another huge problem for many
chapter leaders is finding time to do every-
thing and still have time for schoolwork,
other interests, family and a glimpse of a
social life. Therefore, managing one’s time
effectively is crucial to being a good leader.
There are a few key things you can do to
help with time management.
First of all, delegate. As discussed
before, all good leaders must learn to
delegate. If someone else can do some-
thing just as well as you can and is willing
to, why shouldn’t they help you? Save your
time and energy for those tasks that you
feel you are best at.
Second, use small pieces of time as
efficiently as possible. They are often your
key to effective time management. The five
minutes before a class starts can mean a
few less math problems left to do at home
or a little bit of Junior State work out of the
way. Twenty minutes at home before going
out again may seem like the perfect time to
kick back, but it may also be the time to jot
down a quick memo to your chapter cabi-
net. These little pieces of time can add up
very quickly and can be the key to effective
time management.
Third, get into the habit of taking
things in small steps. A huge homework
assignment may be too much to handle all
at once, but can be done in a smaller
amount. Work for your chapter is the
same. You may have twelve little things
you need to do for your chapter one night.
Altogether it may seem impossible and you
may just put it all off indefinitely. However,
taking care of five may only take a few
minutes. Once five are done, the whole list
may look a lot more approachable.
As tempting as it may be, try not to
procrastinate. Jobs left for later only get
bigger and seem more and more over-
whelming. Get into the habit of pretending
Special Circumstances
Religious Schools
Some chapters at religious schools
may run into special rules. Sometimes the
school administration will not allow certain
issues to be discussed or debated. There
are plenty of political issues that your chap-
ter can grapple with without violating the
rules of the school. The important thing to
remember when leading a chapter at a
deadlines are before they really are, and
always be ahead of the game instead of
behind. You never know when something
will come up that you really want or need to
do, and that little bit of extra leeway will
come in handy.
You should also get into the habit of
prioritizing things. Keep an organized list of
all the things you need to do and prioritize
them based on how important or urgent
they really are. If you absolutely cannot get
everything done, at least make sure you get
the most important things done. Although
you may expect to hear this from your
parents, not from the Junior State, always
put your schoolwork and your family needs
ahead of the Junior State. JSA is important
but other things are as well.
Don’t feel guilty about taking some
time off for yourself. While it may make
little difference in the long run if you spend
a twenty minute afternoon break relaxing or
doing some schoolwork, you do need time
for yourself. Time spent relaxing and enjoy-
ing yourself will let you use your working
time much more efficiently and prevent you
from ‘burning out’. Finally, concentrate as
hard as you can on your task at hand. Find
a place to do schoolwork and Junior State
work where you will have as few distrac-
tions as possible. The more effectively you
use your working time the more time you
will have for other things.
religious school is to not create unneces-
sary tension between you and the adminis-
tration. Most religious school administra-
tions will be very cooperative with a Junior
State chapter if they simply follow a few
restrictions. A chapter that purposefully
violates these restrictions is going to lose
the support of the administration and may
suffer greatly because of this. Your
teacher/advisor should help you understand
what restrictions your school has.
Some religious schools will only let
students attend a convention if they will be
able to attend religious services at the
appropriate times during the convention.
Additionally, some religious schools may be
concerned that there will be no way for
students to adhere to their religion’s dietary
rules while at the convention. The Junior
Statesmen Foundation staff has helped
delegations with providing space for special
services, finding nearby services that
studentscan attend and helping to arrange
special meals for students. Before giving
up on the idea of attending conventions,
call The Junior State Headquarters.
Junior High Schools
Some Junior State chapters are
started at junior high schools, schools only
going up to the ninth grade. These schools
face a problem in that only their ninth grade
students can attend overnight conventions.
These chapters frequently find that they
can get students of all grade levels involved
in the meetings and excited about the
Junior State. These students will then be
the chapter’s top leaders when they reach
the ninth grade. Many junior high school
The Chapter and Your School
The chapter’s relationship to the school is an all-important factor that you must
consider at all times. The school is the base from which chapters operate. Not only must
you consider the chapter’s image among the student body, but also you must think about
the chapter’s reputation with the school administration. You must always consider your
relations with non-JSA members, your relations with the faculty, and your relationship with
the administration.
Relations with other
students
How do students view JSA on your
campus? Is it considered to be an organi-
zation of briefcase carriers who have lost
touch with reality? Is it an exclusive social
clique? Are you leftists, rightists, or politi-
chapters also find that they can set up a
sort of symbiotic relationship with the local
high school. A stronger and more estab-
lished high school chapter can usually offer
a junior high chapter advice, support and
even joint activities.
Boarding Schools
Having a chapter at a boarding
school can be a real benefit to the campus.
Many of the problems a regular chapter has
are eliminated at a boarding school. For
one thing, communication and organizing
meetings are much simpler; everyone is on
campus and can be easily reached. A
leadership meeting can be called on rela-
tively short notice and memos delivered
door to door. Publicity can also be much
easier. Chapter meetings can be held at
many more different times without worrying
about transportation.
An important thing to keep in mind is
maintaining a good relationship with your
school administration. Administrations will
almost be always willing to help an organi-
zation that is willing to cooperate with them.
You may have certain restrictions that you
need to adhere to, but frequently many of
the problems can be worked out if you
make an effort to cooperate with your
school administration.
cally diverse? Is your chapter the “IN” club
on campus or is it “in” with the “out” crowd?
The student body’s impression of the chap-
ter is important to consider when you are
publicizing events and trying to increase
your membership. All students at your
school should feel like the JSA chapter is
the place to learn about politics and govern-
ment and to express their opinions. Do view of your chapter. On one hand, your
things which will identify your chapter as an administration can help your chapter with
active and useful club. meeting space, transportation, and some-
times even funding. On the other hand,
Relations with teachers your administration can prevent your chap-
ter from fund raising on campus, going to
Because the Junior State’s activities
overnight conventions, or even prevent the
are educational, you should try to make the
existence of the chapter all together.
chapter known to as many teachers as
possible. Let social studies teachers know
Never assume that your administra-
about all of your events. History teachers,
tion will be antagonistic towards your chap-
government/civics teachers, the journalism
ter. You should meet with the principal or
advisor, and other social studies teachers
other administrator who is in charge of
can be particularly helpful in spreading the
clubs on campus. Let them know that
word about your chapter’s activities. Some
having an active JSA chapter on campus
teachers may even offer extra credit to their
can enrich the school community and bring
students who participate in your chapter’s
pride to the whole school. Tell them your
educational activities. Having a good
plans for the year and show them how your
reputation among teachers can be impor-
chapter can benefit the entire student body.
tant if you need additional teachers to
Remember to emphasize your chapter
accompany your chapter to overnight con-
activities on campus, not the overnight
ventions. Holding a debate with two popu-
conventions — your chapter activities
lar teachers as the main speakers can be a
benefit the campus while the overnight
very successful event. Your Teacher-
conventions represent more work and
advisor can be very helpful identifying
supervisory issues for the administrators.
teachers who are influential at your school.
Some chapters involve administra-
Relations with your tors in activities. JSA chapters often be-
school’s administration come active in reforming school policy.
Whether it be changing a dress code,
Whenever you plan an event, keep
opening up your campus at lunch time, or
in mind your school’s administration reac-
effecting the editorial policy of your school
tion. Principals, Vice-Principals, and coun-
newspaper, your Junior State chapter can
selors can be phenomenally helpful or
affect school policy if you involve adminis-
incredibly frustrating depending on their
trators in the correct way.
Writing a Chapter Constitution
Writing your chapter constitution can
seem at first like an overwhelmingly large
and complicated task. A good piece of
advice is to not get hung up on this task at
first. The sample constitution given later
can be slightly altered and used very easily
as your chapter constitution for a while.
Once you have established chapter leader-
ship and structure, you may want to hold a
series of meetings in which you rewrite your
constitution in a more specific and final
form.
When writing your constitution, you
should remember that you are free to
structure your chapter however you feel is
best as long as you adhere to the basic
principles of democratic government. The
traditional four elected officers and a hand-
ful of appointed cabinet members should
work fine for you. Structuring your chapter
and writing your constitution is, in a way,
your first real experience working with
politics and government in the Junior State.
Through careful planning of your chapter’s
structure and drafting of your chapter con-
stitution, you can gain a real appreciation
for the founders of groups, organizations
and nations throughout history.
B -24
All chapter constitutions must follow
the Fundamental Principles listed in the
beginning of the Chapter Binder and Junior
State Handbook. They also must follow all
school regulations and guidelines. All
chapter constitutions must include the
following:
Preamble:
State the purposes and goals of your
chapter.
Name:
State the name of your chapter.
Membership:
Indicate how you become a member
(be sure that your chapter is open to every-
one).
Officers:
Decide what officers your chapter will
need. Some chapters use traditional titles
of president, secretary, etc., and others
pattern their titles after local government.
List your officers, specify their duties, and
state how they will be selected.
Activities:
Specify how often the chapter will
meet, how meetings are called, and who
shall preside.
Amendments and Ratification:
Describe how the Constitution can
be adopted and amended.
You should include a lot of people
from a lot of different backgrounds in the
writing of your chapter constitution. Includ-
ing a diverse group of people with different
points of view will make your constitution
much stronger. The United States Constitu-
tion was built on a series of compromises,
and it is often said that it is these compro-
mises that have made it survive over two-
hundred years. A chapter constitution that
incorporates the opinions and ideas of
many different people will be all the more
lasting because of it.
You should not be too rigid in de-
scribing your chapter structure in your
constitution. While you want certain things
to be very clear and precise, you must
realize that in order for a constitution to last
a long time, it must be flexible enough to
withstand changes in people and surround-
ings. Each new Chapter President may
want to change the structure of the chapter
slightly and should not need to rewrite the
constitution in order to do so. Make your
constitution lenient enough that it will en-
dure many different obstacles and other
situations.
One might say that the best constitu-
tions are those whose writers not only see
the current problems but also foresee future
problems with the chapter. Think very
B -25
clearly about how you want things to work,
which things should be left up to each
year’s leaders, and which things you want
to remain constant. What problems is your
chapter likely to face in the future, and how
can your constitution minimize the toll they
take on your chapter? Your chapter consti-
tution is one of the only things that will stay
with your chapter longer than you will. A
really good constitution may stay around for
decades, if its authors are insightful enough
to see what problems the chapter might
face in the future.
Before writing your constitution, you
should check with your school leadership
and administration on their guidelines for
clubs. Some schools have certain rules
that all clubs must adhere to. You should
make sure to follow any guidelines your
school may have. They frequently may
also require a copy of your club’s constitu-
tion to keep on record before considering
your club an official school club and giving
you such privileges as access to school
publicity and meeting rooms. In general it
is a good idea to inform your school leader-
ship and administration that you are found-
ing this club, what you are doing and why to
demonstrate that you are a real club that
takes itself seriously and wants to succeed.
Initiating good relations with your school
leadership and administration is essential
as you never know when you are going to
need them for something or when you will
be able to do something to help them.
 SAMPLE CHAPTER CONSTITUTION

Constitution of the Valley High School

Chapter of the Junior State
PREAMBLE

We, the citizens of the Valley High School Chapter of the Junior State, in order to
achieve high standards of citizenship, improve out understanding of democratic
processes, develop responsibility in the individual, and promote involvement in
community affairs, do establish this organization.

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this organization shall be “The Valley High School Chapter of the
Junior State”.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Membership will be granted to all students who have paid their annual membership
tax and are attending Valley High School.

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS

Section A
Any student may run for office provided that the person is a chapter member
in good standing.

Section B
The officers shall be elected by secret ballot at the second to last meeting of
the elected term. The candidate receiving a majority of votes cast shall be declared
the winner. If no candidate received a majority, the candidate receiving the fewest
votes shall be dropped from the ballot and a new election shall commence. The
process shall continue until a candidate receives a majority of the votes cast.

Section C
The term of the officers shall start June 1 and end the following May 31. In
the case of a vacant position, the President may appoint a replacement with the
approval of a majority of the chapter. If the President resigns or is impeached, the
Vice President becomes President.

Section D
There shall be four (4) elected officers:

B -26
1. The President is the chief executive officer of the chapter and is responsible
for representing the chapter at all events. The President will preside over all meet-
ings and be a members of all committees. (S)he is responsible for running the
chapter’s educational program. The President may appoint other officers as the
need arises.

2. The Vice President assists the President and becomes President if there is a
vacancy in that position.

3. The Secretary will keep minutes of all the meetings. The Secretary will record
and maintain all chapter records.

4. The Treasurer will be in charge of all financial matters of the chapter. The
Treasurer will collect monies and keep records of members attending state and
regional Junior State events. The Treasurer will prepare a financial report ready at
all chapter meetings.

Section E
Any officer may be removed by a two-thirds vote of chapter members present
and voting, provided that notice has been given that this motion will be considered.

ARTICLE IV: ACTIVITIES

Section A
The chapter shall meet a minimum of twice a month during the school year.
Meetings may be called by either the President or the Teacher-Advisor.

Section B
All meetings shall be run according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Re-
vised Edition.

ARTICLE V: AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the chapter mem-

bers.

ARTICLE VI: RATIFICATION

This constitution shall take effect upon ratification by a two-thirds vote of the
members of the chapter and upon the approval of the Junior State Governor.

B -27

CHAPTER MEETINGS
This section of the binder on chapter meet-
ings and meeting activities is by far the most im-
portant. Chapter meetings are the very core of
your chapter -- the vast majority of chapter events
are chapter meetings. Most J.S.A. members' first
impression of the organization comes from a
chapter meeting. J.S.A. members spend more
time at chapter meetings than at J.S.A. state con-
ventions or regional conferences. Good chapter
meetings are the foundation of a successful chap-
ter. The quality of your chapter meetings should
be the highest priority of every chapter leader.
Chapter meetings should never be called
Business Meetings & Activity Meetings
Most chatpers divide their meetings into
two distinct types: business meetings where
chapter officers and members go about planning
and running the chapter; and activity meetings
where chapters hold political awareness
discussions, debates and other activities. Usually,
during a meeting that is designated primarily for
an activity, some business items are discussed
and dealt with quickly before or after the main
activity.
Small or medium size chapters have found
success alternating their weekly meetings
between business meetings and activity meetings.
Larger chapters with a strong core of officers hold
weekly activity meetings and schedule separate
meetings with the chapter officers and teacher/
advisor to take care of pressing chapter business.
Business meetings focus primarily on
planning and organizing the next activity meeting,
fundraiser, trip to a JSA convention, or
membership drive. The top chapter officers and
the teacher/advisor must be at these meetings.
Use this time to decide on the next chapter activity,
choose the main participants and give them time
to prepare, assign publicity duties, and settle on
the agenda for the next meeting. It is important
that the chapter officers and teacher/advisor are
C-1
Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities
just to fill time or because you feel obligated to
have one. There should be a purpose behind ev-
ery meeting. Few things turn people away from
the Junior State faster than leaving a meeting feel-
ing like it was a waste of time. A purpose must be
established before a meeting can be planned. A
successful meeting will fulfill its purpose and keep
members interested.
This section of this binder first discusses
how to plan and run chapter meetings. Later, the
section goes into the details of how to run debates,
thought talks and other meeting activities.
always on the same page and are organized and
ready when running activities.
At the meetings that center around an
activity, try to keep the amount of business down
to a minimum. If people are expecting a debate,
they are not going to appreciate spending half the
meeting deciding who will make posters for the
next meeting or how to find a location for an
upcoming car wash. Business that must be
handled at the meeting should be kept short,
exciting and simple. All chapter members should
hear about upcoming events like JSA overnight
conventions and one day conferences. Passing
out brochures for these major events and telling
members how to sign up to participate are
business items that create excitement.
Most of the business should be handled
before your activity for two main reasons. First of
all, by the end of the meeting, your members are
less likely to concentrate on what is being
discussed. Secondly, if the business takes longer
than expected, it is easier to cut short the activity
than to postpone necessary business. You may
want to leave such things as upcoming event
announcements for the end since they take little
time and will be best remembered if last.
Section C
When discussing business issues, try to
keep the number of different speakers down to a
minimum. Make sure each person speaking
knows exactly what they are discussing and when
they are up. Have them each person prepare what
Preparing for a Chapter Meeting
Before doing anything at all for a chapter
meeting, you must ask yourself one question: Why
are we having this meeting? Is it just to fill time?
Is it just so we can say we have regular meet-
ings? Or is it because we have something we
want to accomplish -- some purpose in holding
this meeting? If your answer is anything but the
last one, you need to keep searching. Chapter
meetings should be held with a purpose in mind,
not just because you want to have a meeting.
Activities
Most chapter meetings center around an
activity such as a debate, thought talk or guest
speaker. Chapter business may be taken care of
before or after the activity, but the majority of the
time is spent on the activity. The purpose of this
type of meeting is to discuss and learn about a
certain issue with the chapter. Having a chapter
program (see the section on “Chapter Planning”)
can give each meeting the purpose of fulfilling a
larger goal.
Once you have decided the purpose of the
meeting, you should decide how exactly you will
fulfill this purpose. Will you learn about a topic
through a debate or a thought talk? Should you
invite a guest speaker instead? Do you prefer to
try something completely different and original?
Different types of chapter meetings, how to run
them and other suggestions are covered in this
section later on.
When to hold the meeting
Next, you must decide when to hold the
meeting. Most chapters hold regular weekly or
biweekly (every other week) meetings during lunch
or right after school, but you need not limit your-
self to these times. Decide what times you think
will work best for your chapter members and will
draw the largest audience. Lunch times often work
C-2
they are going to say and don’t let anyone ramble
on without a point. If you lose your audience’s
attention now, you will have a difficult time gaining
it back for your activity.
well since students are usually at school then any-
way, but lunch meetings often are too short to have
a decent debate. After school meetings offer more
time, but you may lose some attendance from
people who prefer to go home than hang around
school an extra hour or so. If another time will
work out well, then try it. Take other school activi-
ties and club meetings into consideration when
deciding on a time. To keep things simple, it is
usually a good idea to have regular chapter meet-
ings at a specific time on the same day each week.
If you feel the need for a change from your regular
meeting time, make sure that the new time is very,
very, very, well publicized.
Where to hold the meeting
Next you must find a suitable place to hold
your chapter meeting. Most chapters find that
their teacher/advisor’s classroom is the best place
to hold the meeting. Some larger chapters use
their school auditorium or gymnasium. Be care-
ful not to select a location where there will be too
many other distractions. In general, it is a good
idea to hold most of your chapter meetings at the
same place so that people will always know where
to go and be able to find it. However, the occa-
sional change of location, if well publicized, can
add variety.
Teacher/Advisor, School
Administration & Transportation
Teacher/Advisors and chapter officers
should decide on chapter meeting times and lo-
cations together. You cannot have a meeting with-
out your teacher/advisor or another facutly repre-
sentative. You may also need to clear the meet-
ing with your school administration if you are plan-
ning a large event. Make sure they understand
what the meeting is and what it will accomplish. If
your meeting is scheduled for sometime out of
regular school hours, or if it is being held some-
 Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities

where other than your school, you need to arrange
for transportation to the meeting as well. Carpools
will usually work best.
Publicity
Your next step in preparing for a chapter
meeting is publicity. Publicizing is indeed one of
the single most important factors in determining
the success of the meeting. A well publicized
meeting will bring in a large crowd full of diversity
and enthusiasm while a poorly publicized meet-
ing will flounder due to lack of participation. If you
hold weekly meetings, start publicizing the meet-
ing and the topic for an activity at least a week in
advance. For a thorough look at methods of pub-
licity, see the section in this binder on publicity.
The Meeting Agenda
Now the time comes to actually plan out
the meeting. What are we trying to accomplish?
What activity do we want to hold? What busi-
ness must we take care of first? Are there any
events we should be publicizing? These are the
questions one must ask in planning out the meet-
ing. Once the issues that need to be dealt with
are laid out, you need to come up with an agenda.
An agenda is a ordered list of all the items that the
meeting will address. Chapters that consistently
distribute agendas for their meetings find that they
run more smoothly and more efficiently. A sample
agenda for a meeting may look something like this:

University High School Junior State Chapter

Chapter Meeting Agenda

Monday · October 24

I. Call to Order

II. Distribution of minutes from last meeting

III. Reports from officers

IV. Evaluation of last activity

V. Discussion of upcoming events

VI. Activity: Debate on same sex marriages

VII. Distribution of fliers for events, newsletter, etc.

VIII. Financial Matters (collect taxes, convention

registration and permission slips, etc.)

IX. Adjournment - Announce date, time, location and topic for next
meeting

C-3
Section C
This may seem like a lot to cover in a chap-
ter meeting, but most of the items on this agenda
can be handled very quickly. If the meeting was
scheduled to last a half hour, the first five items
could be handled in less than ten minutes, leav-
ing twenty minutes for the debate and the last few
items. If there is a great deal of business to take
care of, such as preparing for a convention or
chapter conference, you may want to call a purely
business meeting where you won’t need to rush.
It is a good idea to plan the agenda at a
cabinet meeting with your teacher/advisor before
the chapter meeting itself. With everyone’s input
you are less likely to forget things (i.e. upcoming
events) and the agenda is likely to be of higher
quality. Additionally, if the chapter leaders are in-
cluded in the planning of the meeting, they are
more likely to actively participate in it and help keep
it orderly and productive. Chapter meetings are
the core of your chapter and they should be the
product of all the chapter leaders working together.
Equipment
If you need tables, chairs, podiums, mi-
crophones or any other special equipment, ar-
range for it well in advance. Most school cam-
puses have one person who oversees the use of
many of those things and can usually arrange for
their use fairly easily if given proper notice. Last
minute arrangements usually fall through.
J.S.A. Meeting Today!
C-4
Literature
Next, you should prepare and publish any
literature necessary for your meeting. If you will
be holding a debate, distribute some background
information or a J.S.A. debate brief on the topic. If
you are inviting a speaker, distribute a biography
of the speaker or background information on the
cause or organization the speaker represents. If
you are holding a thought talk, distribute a ques-
tionnaire on the issue being addressed to get
chapter members thinking about their own opin-
ions.
Whatever type of activity it is, a well pro-
duced handout will add to the discussion, give
the meeting a professional style, and make it more
productive. Prepare, proofread, and publish your
handouts a few days before the meeting to pre-
vent last minute problems. If you plan to distribute
evaluation sheets, now is the time to make them
(see the section on evaluating chapter meetings).
Refreshments
If you are planning to offer (or sell) refresh-
ments at the meetings, start making arrange-
ments early. Inexpensive snack foods can give
the meeting a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. Food
has a way of attracting new people who may come
to your meeting for the first time just to chow down
but return subsequently to participate in the excit-
ing activities. Consider selling food such as cook-
ies or drinks at the meetings as a fund-raiser.

At The Chapter Meeting
Arriving Early
The chapter president and other officers
should try to arrive at the room a few minutes
early. Make sure that everything is in order and
that all necessary equipment is there. By being
there first, you will make it clear that you are lead-
ing the meeting and that you are the one in charge.
Welcoming people as they arrive gives the meet-
ing a nice feel. Say hello and introduce yourself
to new or prospective members as they arrive.
When to Start the Meeting
It is best to wait a short while before start-
ing the meeting. If the meeting is scheduled for
lunch or after school, people need time to leave
class, go to their locker and use the restroom. If
enough time has passed and many people are
still not there, start without them. If you always
wait for everyone to show up, people will arrive
later and later, whereas if a person is late to a
meeting they are much more likely to show up on
time to the next meeting. If many people are miss-
ing, you may choose to leave important business
for when more people are there.
Calling the Meeting to Order
Usually, the Chapter President calls the
meeting to order even if someone else will be
moderating/leading the activity. Be sure to start
the meeting off right. It should be upbeat and ex-
citing. Starting the meeting off by reciting some
memorized lines in a monotone voice about how
glad you are that they could attend will not con-
vince the audience half as well as a dynamic, ex-
citing speaker getting up there and putting some
real thought and energy into what is said. Keep
your opening remarks brief. Avoid starting with
an apology or announcement. Get their attention,
talk about the activity and then move on to any
necessary business.
Keeping the Audience’s Attention
Running a chapter meeting can be a very
difficult task. From the very beginning of the meet-
ing you have many different demands on you and
the constant burden of competing with everything
else for your audience’s attention. Newspapers,
food, daydreams, and even homework are all fight-
ing with you for your audience’s attention. Your
C-5
Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities
meeting needs to remain more interesting than
them. Once you have lost their attention to some-
thing else, it is difficult to get it back. Therefore,
every aspect of a chapter meeting must be
planned and orchestrated ahead of time. People
must know when they are expected to speak and
about what. Fliers and forms that need to be dis-
tributed need to be easily accessible. Any sign of
confusion and disorder will lose your audience’s
attention and hinder the meeting.
Parliamentary Procedure
Junior State meetings in general are held
using a system known as parliamentary proce-
dure. Parliamentary procedure is a system for
running effective meetings using motions and
votes to handle decisions. This system maintains
order while still allowing people to voice their opin-
ions. Parliamentary procedure may seem intimi-
dating at first, but it is not all that difficult once you
get the hang of it.
While debates at conventions and confer-
ences stick to parliamentary procedure very strictly,
many chapters find that they can relax the rules
somewhat during their debates and run the busi-
ness parts of their meetings more informally.
Having people raise their hands when they wish
to speak and voting on simple decisions can work
very well for the business parts of meetings.
Chapters that find their meetings end up too dis-
orderly may want to try appointing a parliamentar-
ian to help enforce some parliamentary procedure,
or a sergeant-at-arms to help keep a large audi-
ence quiet and orderly during a meeting. Most
chapters find that there is an appropriate amount
of parliamentary procedure that helps their chap-
ter meetings run smoothly.
The rules and mechanisms of parliamen-
tary procedure that the Junior State follows are
laid out in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised
and are summarized in the Junior State Modera-
tor Handbook.
Being in Touch with your Audience
When leading a meeting, try to be percep-
tive to your audience. If their reactions are mak-
Section C

ing it clear that they are not happy with what is
going on, work with them to change that. If they
are angry that you are dealing with too much busi-
ness and they want to move on to the activity, ex-
plain to them why you need to take care of the
business and make it as short as possible. You
need your members to enjoy themselves at your
meetings.
Taking Minutes
Chapters may want to get into the habit of
taking minutes at meetings -- both general meet-
ings and cabinet/officer meetings. Minutes serve
as a record of what was discussed and what was
decided and can be valuable for future reference.
Be sure to appoint someone -- your recording
secretary if you have one -- to take minutes at
each chapter meeting. Type them up and pass
them out at the start of the next meeting.
It is a good idea to look over the agenda
for the meeting beforehand, so you have a feel for
what is going to be discussed. The agenda and
minutes are different. Minutes are what was dis-
cussed, not what was supposed to be discussed.
Before the meeting starts:
1. Write down the time, location & title of the
meeting.
2. Write down everyone who is present includ-
ing their positions, unless the atten-
dence is very large.
3. Write down who is leading the meeting.
During the Meeting
1. Write down every main point & who said it.
2. Write down people’s reactions or rebuttals
to each main point.
3. Write down what the consensus or vote of
the group is on each point.
Depending on the intensity of the meeting,
good minutes will probably be roughly 1-2 lines
for every minute that the meeting runs. (That is
roughly one page every twenty minutes.) If you
are writing much more than that, you are probably
going into more detail than necessary. If you are
writing less than that, you are probably not includ-
ing enough details.
After the Meeting
1. Summarize concisely in a few paragraphs the
topics discussed and the decisions made. (You
may want to go over this with the person who led
the meeting.)
2. Hand the minutes over to the Chapter Presi-
dent or other person in charge of collecting or pub-
lishing them.
3. Put a copy of the minutes in a permanent file.
Activity Evaluations
Holding some sort of evaluation at the end
of your chapter activities is an excellent way to
improve upon them and better meet the needs and
wants of your chapter members. This is espe-
cially true with new or controversial meeting ac-
tivities. A printed handout is usually the best way
to go. In advance, make some sort of brief ques-
tionnaire that addresses the key issues on which
you and your chapter leaders want feedback. Make
sure to bring enough copies to the meeting.
A sample evaluation may look like this:

Chapter Activity Evaluation

1) Did you enjoy the activity? Why or why not?______________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

2) How much and what did you learn from the activity?______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

3) Did you find the topic(s) interesting?___________________________________________

4) What would you have done differently if you were planning the activity?
__________________________________________________________________________

C-6

Note that an evaluation like this can be
used for several different types of events includ-
ing trips and other non-meeting type activities. You
may want to use the same form for all your meet-
ings, or you may want to print up a specific one
with specific questions for individual activities.
After collecting the evaluations, you should
go over the results and discuss them with the
chapter leadership either at a regular chapter of-
ficers meeting or at a special evaluation meeting.
You should include your teacher/advisor in these
important discussions. You may want to have the
chapter leadership and teacher/advisor write a
brief summary of the strengths and weaknesses
of the meeting based on the evaluations for future
reference. (Chapters can often learn a great deal
by looking at what has and has not worked in the
past.) You may also want to have your chapter
leadership and teacher/advisor answer a few other
questions such as:
1) Did the activity attract new members?
2) Was anyone turned off from JSA by the
meeting?
3) Did the activity cause any problems for
your school administration?
4) Did the activity attract any reaction or
support from your community?
5) Was the activity too expensive for any of
your members? (If there was a fee)
After the Chapter Meeting
After a chapter meeting there are a few
final things you should do to finish up. First of all,
always remember to thank any guest speakers
and other participants in the activity. Adults should
be thanked in writing promptly after the meeting.
Student participants in the meeting can be thanked
in person although a written letter to students con-
tributing an exceptional amount may be greatly
appreciated.
Second of all you should try to get cover-
age of the event in your school or local newspa-
per. If it was a regular debate, you may just have
C-7
Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities
6) Was the activity constructive and edu-
cational or of value to your school and
community?
Your chapter leadership and teacher/ad-
visor should then discuss the things that are go-
ing well with the chapter meetings and those that
are not. Make a list of both and keep it in your
chapter files. Looking back at problems of the
past can often give you a real sense of how much
your chapter has managed to accomplish and
give you hope when things seem difficult.
Take the list of problems and discuss pos-
sible solutions to each. Figure out how important
the proposed changes are and how much work
each one will take. Rank the changes according
to their importance and ease of accomplishing,
and start working on them. If your meetings are
not publicized enough, appoint someone to look
into possible new methods of publicity. If people
feel your activities are covering too narrow a range
of topics, plan a few activities addressing some-
thing very different. Whatever the problems are,
fix them. Just solving one problem at a time can
make huge changes in your chapter strength over
several weeks. Whatever you do, make sure to
use your evaluations the best you can -- they are
your key to improving your chapter.
a brief summary of how the chapter voted on the
resolution (many people find this very interesting).
If it is a larger event or on a particularly controver-
sial topic, try to have a member of your school
newspaper staff write a full article and see if one
of your local community papers will cover the event
in some detail. If you were able to take pictures of
the event, send copies with a simple press re-
lease.
Finally, you need to sit down with your
chapter leaders and teacher/advisor and discuss
the meeting. Did it go as planned? Were there
Section C

any major problems? What went really well?
What could have gone better? If you had students
fill out evaluations, discuss their comments in
detail. Decide what changes should be made for
next time (any meeting, no matter how good, can
be improved upon) and decide how you will imple-
ment them. Finally, take a moment to be proud of
what you have accomplished, and then start plan-
ning for your next meeting. The work of a chapter
leader never stops.

Chapter Meeting Checklist

As you prepare for a chapter meeting, all of the following questions and items should be ad-
dressed approximately in this order.

Before the meeting...

ˆ purpose for the meeting

ˆ what sort of activity will be held
ˆ when will you hold the meeting
ˆ where will you hold the meeting
ˆ clear the meeting with your teacher/advisor
ˆ clear the meeting with the school administration
ˆ publicize the meeting as much as possible
ˆ arrange for the use of chairs, tables, microphones
ˆ prepare any literature and written evaluations
ˆ arrange for refreshments
ˆ prepare the agenda

At the meeting...

ˆ arrive early to make sure room is ready

ˆ assign someone to take minutes (especially of business)
ˆ call the meeting to order (president or other leader)
ˆ follow the agenda / run the meeting
ˆ keep business short
ˆ hold the audience’s attention
ˆ remain in touch with their reactions
ˆ evaluations of the meeting
ˆ dismiss the meeting
ˆ clean up room

After the meeting...

ˆ thank any guest speakers or other participants

ˆ try to have the meeting covered in a local or school newspaper (especially any votes
on important issues)
ˆ evaluate meeting with chapter leaders and teacher-advisor
ˆ decide what changes should be made for your next meeting
ˆ start planning for your next meeting

C-8

Chapter Activities
We have now discussed how to run a
chapter meeting from start to finish, but we have
not yet discussed the actual activities that most
chapter meetings center around. Any type of po-
litical awareness activity can be the core of your
chapter meeting. This section discusses pos-
sible activities you may want to hold.
Advance planning is the key to running
good meetings. Meetings planned the night be-
fore are not as good as ones that are thought out
ahead of time. Ideally, you should start preparing
for a chapter meeting at least two weeks in ad-
vance. Assuming you are holding weekly meet-
ings, this gives you the meeting the week before
to publicize the next meeting, ask for help and re-
cruit participants.
The Most Common Meeting Activities
The most typical chapter meetings are de-
bates, thought talks, and guest speakers; how-
ever, there are no real limits on the variety and
creativity you can have with your meetings. Be-
low is a brief description of a few of these com-
mon activities and some suggestions on when
they might be right for your chapter. A few of the
more difficult ones to run are explained in greater
detail later in this section.
Debates
A debate is the most common activity
chapters hold. In a debate, several people get to
express in some depth their opinions on a certain
topic. For issues that students feel passionately
about, the chapter debate can be the best way to
exchange ideas and educate one another while
still maintaining order. Some newer chapter mem-
bers may feel a bit uncomfortable speaking dur-
ing the more formal debate atmosphere. Most
chapter debates differ from debates at conven-
tions and conferences in terms of how long they
last and in their degree of formality. Chapters may
also try alternative styles of debates such as
Cross-Fire and Cross-Examination debates.
C-9
Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities
Variety is also important in planning meet-
ings. Many chapters find that experimenting with
a variety of formats and topics keeps members
interested and excited. Remember that not ev-
eryone will like each topic. One meeting may bore
a member, while the next one may fascinate the
same person. A wide variety of topics along with
consistent high quality and excitement in your
meetings will keep your members coming back.
Many chapters find that having a long term
plan for their meetings, such as a series explor-
ing some problem from different angles, gives their
chapter a greater sense of excitement and pur-
pose. Some suggestions for long term planning
and balancing your chapter meetings are dis-
cussed at greater length in the section on devel-
oping a Chapter Program.
Thought Talks
Thought talks are an excellent way to ad-
dress an issue without the formality of a debate.
In a thought talk, more people get to speak, al-
though usually in less depth. Many less experi-
enced speakers may also feel much more com-
fortable speaking at a thought talk where there are
fewer rules, and one generally does not need to
go to the front of the room or take questions.
Thought talks lend themselves to topics where
there is no clear cut division between two sides
but rather many different ways of looking at it.
Guest Speakers
Inviting guest adult speakers to your high
school campus can be one of the most educa-
tional ways to address an issue. Make sure that
speakers know they will be speaking to bright,
politically aware high school students -- you don't
want speakers to talk down to your audience or
go over their heads. Sometimes it is difficult to
find an appropriate speaker to address certain
subjects. You want someone who is engaging
enough to keep the audience's attention and knowl-
edgeable enough to converse on the subject with
confidence. Remember to select a chapter mem-
Section C

ber to introduce the speaker and be sure that they
prepare the introduction in advance.
Problem Solving Forums
Problem Solving Forums are like thought
talks where the focus is on proposing some solu-
tion to a given problem. Problem Solving can be
excellent for issues where everyone agrees some-
thing is wrong but just differ on how to go about
fixing it. For example, a problem solving forum
would not work well for the death penalty, since
there is no “problem” there, just different opinions
on whether or not it should be allowed. A problem
solving forum on rising crime rates would work
however. Then, administering the death penalty
could be a proposed solution to the problem. Of
course, for a complex problem like crime, doz-
ens of solutions may be proposed. Frequently, a
"plan" to address the problem will be proposed,
debated, and adopted.
Impromptu Speech Contests
Impromptu speech contests involve many
people giving short ‘impromptu’ speeches on top-
ics they are given only moments before they have
to speak, and then voting on who gave the best
speech. Impromptu speech contests are a great
way to strengthen your chapter members’ on-your-
feet speaking skills and are usually a lot of fun.
They can be an excellent alternative activity one
meeting during a long string of more serious ac-
tivities. They can also be a great way to prepare
for a convention or to maintain member interest
right after a convention. Although they are a great
deal of fun, do not resort to having them too often,
as the more in depth traditional activities are much
more educational.
We will now discuss each of these activi-
ties in greater detail and outline how to organize
them.

Mock United Nations

Holding a Mock United Nations session is
a great way to explore a current international is-
sue. Your members will gain an appreciation for
how world leaders solve an international crisis.
The main participants should be willing to research
their assigned countries thoroughly and keep on
top of world events. Mock U.N. sessions take a
great deal of organizing, so make sure your chapter
members are excited and willing to participate. A
mock U.N. Security Council, which has 15 mem-
bers, may be more feasible than simulating the
General Assembly which has well over 100 mem-
ber states.

Mock Trial
Mock trials are a great
introduction to the judicial pro-
cess. Many of your members
will be intrigued by the judicial
issues, but may not know very
much about the judicial system
and courtroom procedure. You
should extend a mock trial over several meetings
in order to completely act out the case. Although
only a few main participants are needed (two law-
yers, a judge, and a defendant), try to include more
chapter members as witnesses and jury mem-
bers. Although covered briefly in the next section,
to run a mock trial you should send to JSA office
for ready-made mock trial packets.
C-10
 Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities

The Chapter Debate

Debates are by far the most common ac-
tivity in the Junior State. Debates are ideal for
addressing controversial issues where there is a
lot of information and two clearly defined positions.
Debates allow for two conflicting sides to be pre-
sented. Debates can, therefore, be incredible
educational tools by first providing the audience
with a broad-based education of an issue and then
allowing the audience members to make up their
own minds based upon the information they have
received.
one week in advance. Give the debaters a copy of
THE JUNIOR STATE DEBATE HANDBOOK,
which can be found in and copied from this binder.
The moderator should be someone confi-
dent, comfortable in front of large audiences,
knowledgeable about Junior State debating, and
well organized. Give the moderator a copy of THE
JUNIOR STATE MODERATOR HANDBOOK in
advance and tell them to follow the procedures
outlined.

Setting up a Chapter Debate 3. Publicize. As with all chapter meetings, you

Follow the steps outlined in the previous
section on putting meetings together, paying spe-
cial attention to publicity. A good debate and high
attendance often work hand in hand. While orga-
nizing the logistics of a meeting, begin planning
for the debate by doing the following:
1. Choose a Debate Topic. Your first task is
choosing a topic that your chapter members will
be interested in debating. Try to be creative with
your topics -- debates on abortion and the death
penalty can be overused at times, although both
topics raise very difficult and important issues.
2. Find Participants. Finding participants is your
next step. For most debates you need a modera-
tor and two debaters -- one arguing for and one
arguing against the resolution. Make sure the
debaters are willing and eager to prepare and re-
search for the debate. Sign debaters up with
enough time to do some good research at least
need to publicize. Advertise the debate topic and
make it look exciting and controversial. Challenge
people to come defend their beliefs. For more
ideas, see the section in this binder on Publicity.
4. Prepare the Participants. Once you have
signed up your debaters and moderator, you need
to work with them to make sure that they are do-
ing their work. Debaters need to spend a few hours
(usually not much more) reading up about their
topics. If they are signed up one to two weeks in
advance, they should be able to find time to do
this. If you are worried that they will not have
enough research, go over what they have with
them and give them suggestions.
You are now set for a great chapter de-
bate. Once the meeting is in order and any other
business has been taken care of you should be-
gin the debate. (Remember to keep announce-
ments down to a minimum -- people came for the
debate, not other things.)

Debate Resolutions Your Chapter Can Use

Resolved, that abortion be outlawed except in the cases of rape, incest or saving the mother's life.
Resolved, that the death penalty be outlawed.
Resolved, that marriage be legally defined only as a union between one man and one woman.
Resolved, that marijuana be legalized and its sale be regulated like alcohol.
Resolved, that colleges should not use race or ethincity as a criteria in the admissions process.
Resolved, that the words "under God" be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance.
Resolved, that schools be allowed to schedule a daily moment of silence for prayer or reflection.
Resolved, that protecting the environment is more important than expanding our economy.
Resolved, that the U.S. should cut taxes and limit government spending to reduce deficits.
Resolved, that the U.S. should adopt a universal health care system.
Resolved, that military action is justified to force regime change in nations that support terrorism.
Resolved, that the U.S. restrict trade with countries that violate the human rights of their citizens.
Resolved, that members of Congress be term limited & restricted from serving more than 12 years.
Resolved, that the private ownership of handguns be banned.
C-11
Section C
Alternative Styles of Debate
Cross-Fire Debates
Cross Fire debates allow for greater ques-
tioning and greater direct conflict with the audi-
ence and debaters. They are held with two speak-
ers on each side. Each side is given a certain
amount of time to state their arguments before
questioning begins. Then, the moderator ques-
tions each side for a set period of time. After that,
each side has time for a rebuttal. Then audience
members are allowed to make short question-type
speeches to which the debate teams respond.
The exact specifications of this debate should be
decided upon by the chapter leaders based on
what will work and how much time exists.
Cross-Examination Debate
Cross-Examination debates are similar to
regular legislative style debates with one main dif-
ference. After the opening speeches, each side
has a certain amount of time to cross-examine
the other side -- that is ask questions directly to
them and have them respond.
Debate/Thought Talks
Debate/Thought Talks are an excellent ac-
tivity for a chapter with many members who
feel uneasy about speaking in the strict debate
format. Debate/Thought Talks open up with two
speakers speaking just as they would in a regular
debate. Then, however, when it becomes time
for the subsequent speeches, the format is turned
into a thought-talk where anyone may speak from
their seat for any length of time, and no attempt is
made to balance out those speaking for or against
the resolution. When time is running short, the
original speakers are invited to give brief closing
remarks on their respective sides of the resolu-
tion.
Role-Playing Debates
Role playing debates are just regular de-
bates where the debaters assume the role of a
character, historical leader or type of person. Cre-
ativity is key to this and the options are limitless.
A health-care debate may involve a business ex-
ecutive and an employee or union representative.
A violence in the media debate may involve Mr.
C-12
Rogers and Rambo. Be creative but be sure not
to lose the educational value while trying to make
the debate entertaining. Consider combining these
with historical debates described below.
Historical Debates
Historical debates are just regular debates
with an historically important resolution. For in-
stance, an historical debate resolution may be that
the Scopes Monkey Trial decision was wrong or
that The Articles of Confederation were adequate
or superior to the Constitution. Try to find an is-
sue where there will be a split opinion and try to
be tactful. These can often combine with role-
playing debates very well such as having Thomas
Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton debate each
other on early American policies.
Teacher Debates
These debates follow the standard JSA
format, but teachers are the main speakers. Sub-
sequent speakers should be students. Make sure
the topic is something that is appropriate for
teachers to be speaking about, and make sure
they prepare. This can be very entertaining, but
be sure to keep it educational. Try making it an
annual event and invite other clubs to join you.
Others
Be creative! The activities you and your
chapter hold are up to you. Be imaginative. Don’t
let the lists of common activities prevent you from
trying something daringly new. Often the very best
activities for your chapter are those that you and
your other leaders think up yourselves.

Other Activities
It is also important when planning your
chapter events not to hold only debates. Debates
are an excellent way to address issues, but other
chapter activities can allow for greater participa-
tion and a more comfortable atmosphere for mem-
bers (especially newer ones) to articulate their
ideas.
Thought Talks
A thought talk, quite simply, is a forum for
open discussion on an issue of importance.
Thought talks, if well-organized, can be the most
successful and educational of all chapter activi-
ties. Unlike a debate, in which there are stan-
dardized rules and times for speaking, in a thought
talk, audience members can make comments and
share their opinions without the constraints of pro-
cedure and time.
Holding a thought talk as a chapter activity
is relatively easy. All it takes is a room conducive
to discussion -- that is: a good-sized room in which
everyone can see and hear each other -- an in-
teresting and stimulating issue, and most impor-
tantly, a well-prepared and well informed modera-
tor.
The thought talk leader should begin by
defining the issue and discussing its importance.
A simple handout or visual display on the issue
can also be very valuable. Before sharing their
thoughts and feelings, people need to understand
exactly what the issue is and why it is worth dis-
cussing. If it is a controversial issue, the contro-
versy should be explained as well as a few argu-
ments from each side. You may want to have a
few speakers do some research and prepare short
speeches outlining the different sides of the is-
sue. A well prepared leader should be knowledge-
able enough about the issue to correct any obvi-
ous mistakes in facts people share with the audi-
ence.
The skill to leading a good thought talk is
to be able to keep a robust conversation going.
One way to do this is to prepare beforehand a
series of questions that lead the thought talk on a
logical path from one end of the issue to the other.
Start the discussion off with the first question and
C-13
Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities
see where it goes. The participants may very well
lead the discussion on a logical path on their own.
However, if the conversation dies or if the discus-
sion becomes repetitive and only a few issues
are being addressed, it is time for the leader to
step in. Use the questions to guide the thought
talk in the direction you want it to take. Ask a ques-
tion and then call on a few people to respond. Af-
ter that, move on to the next topic or question.
This will ensure that people attending the activity
address all the issues involved in the topic get a
good sense of what the problem is.
If at any point the conversation dies, try
asking someone specific a question. Be careful
not to put reluctant people on the spot or make
anyone feel uncomfortable. A simple “Is there any-
thing you would like to add?” can be encouraging
yet not embarrassing. A good thought talk leader
will pay attention to who is talking and who is not
and try unobtrusively to get the quieter people to
share their thoughts as well. The strength of the
thought talk ultimately lies in the diverse bunch of
opinions that can be shared, so increasing the
number of active participants will improve the
thought talk.
Guest Speakers
Inviting a guest speaker to address your
chapter can be one of the most exciting and edu-
cational activities of the year. Outside speakers
bring expertise on specific areas as well as points
of view not necessarily represented in your chap-
ter. The possibilities for topics and speakers are
endless but should focus around a political topic
that will excite your chapter members. Guest
speakers are especially appropriate after discuss-
ing a given issue for a while or before some big
related event, like a school board vote on an im-
portant issue.
Guest speakers are also the perfect op-
portunity to get involved with the whole school. If
you are able to secure a speaker who will be of
interest to many of your school’s students, con-
sider turning the event into a school wide activity.
School administrators may really like the idea of
having a school board member address the en-
tire school or a judge talk about issues relating to
Section C
youth. This will also serve to introduce the whole
school to your Junior State Chapter.
If you want to invite a speaker to speak on
a particular issue, remember that the Junior State
always tries to present both sides to every issue.
Try to invite speakers to represent both sides of
controversial issues to the same meeting. If this
is not possible, have one side represented at one
meeting, but have the other side represented at a
subsequent meeting.
Local politicians and government leaders
always provide great insights when they speak to
Junior State Chapters,
and they enjoy meeting
and speaking to high
school students. Con-
sider inviting the school
board member, city
councilperson, county
supervisor, or state leg-
islators who represent
the area around your
high school. Around
election time, invite the
candidates running for
offices. If there is a hotly
contested race, you
may consider sponsor-
ing a candidate debate
or candidates forum.
Remember to
invite speakers far
ahead of time -- most
local leaders keep very
tight schedules and fill up their calendars far in
advance. Invite a speaker two months in advance
if possible. Start by writing an invitation letter that
includes a description of your chapter, the day and
time you would like the person to speak, the issue
you would like him or her to address, and the for-
mat of his/her presentation (i.e. how much time
they have to speak, how questions from the audi-
ence will be handled.) Be sure to prepare an ac-
curate and laudatory introduction of all speakers
you present at your meetings, and be sure to thank
them in public right afterwards. Giving them a
small token of appreciation (such as a school t-
shirt or mug) is also a very tasteful practice. In
addition to thanking them in person, be sure to
C-14
thank them immediately afterwards in writing.
Send them a thank you note within a day or two
thanking them for taking the time to speak with
you and for sharing their insights with your chap-
ter members. Stress how much your chapter
members gained from their speaking.
Other ideas to help your event include get-
ting a biography of the person to prepare a short
introduction speech or hand out at the meeting;
sending press releases to the school and local
newspapers before and after the event; getting
pictures with you and your guest standing beside
a Junior State sign; and asking your administra-
tion or social studies
department chair if
you can have a man-
datory (or optional)
assembly with your
guest speaker. Al-
ways remember to
thank your guests in
writing after the event.
Problem Solving
Forums
Problem solving fo-
rums are basically
thought talks where
solving a certain prob-
lem is the goal. You
should begin by find-
ing a problem of great
importance to your
members. Sugges-
tions may include vio-
lence and drugs on
campus, the spread of AIDS or poverty in your
community. The closer to home the issue is the
more people will feel a sense of urgency to ad-
dress it. Start the activity by explaining in some
detail what the problem is. Explain what attempts
have already been made to solve it and why they
have or have not worked -- these are important
when thinking of new solutions. Then open the
floor up to a free discussion of the problem and
how to solve it. Take all suggestions seriously.
The leader of a problem solving forum should
make everyone feel welcome to contribute and
that their input is both appreciated and taken seri-
ously.

As you are moving along, have someone
write all major ideas down on the chalk board (or
large piece of paper that you can keep) so that
everyone can see what is being discussed and
where the discussion is heading. After some time,
start focusing on developing the more popular
ideas into full plans. Have people argue about
what will and will not work and why. Keep the
discussion focused on the task at hand -- creat-
ing a solution for a problem. Don’t let stray re-
marks or humorists lead you astray. In the end
you should have one or more alternate plans to
solve the problem. Publicize these plans and con-
sider submitting them to governmental or other
offices who may take them more seriously than
you think.
You may want to consider holding a prob-
lem solving forum on an issue directly affecting
your school. You can then use it as the starting
point for a chapter led effort to solve the problem.
For instance, a chapter at a school with a huge
gang problem may want to hold a discussion on
ways to curb gang violence. They may even con-
sider inviting people with direct experiences with
gangs who are now committed to peace to dis-
cuss life in a gang and why efforts to curb gang
violence have so far not worked. The chapter
could then decide on a step by step solution to
the problem of gang violence on campus and ini-
tiate their solution to solve it by working with the
school leadership and the administration or hold
a school-wide forum. This sort of program com-
bines political education and involvement with
youth community involvement. It is one of the
greatest things a chapter can do.
Mock Trials
Mock trials provide a chapter an excellent
look into the workings of the judicial system and
justice in our nation. Mock trials in the Junior State
rely largely on the chapter leaders to organize.
Most chapters either work very hard to create their
own mock trial or use one of the ready made pack-
ets available from the Junior State office. Usually
chapter members are selected to serve as law-
yers, witnesses and a judge, and the rest of the
members serve as a jury. Most mock trials take
several meetings to complete. When the hear-
ings are over, the jury should deliberate on a ver-
dict. If the defendant is found guilty, the judge
should deliver a sentence. Again, ready made
C-15
Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities
mock trial packets are available by calling the Jun-
ior State Office. It is a good idea to try one of
these out before attempting to produce your own.
Model United Nations
Often, some of the most challenging is-
sues to students center around international af-
fairs and the complexities that problems between
many nations can create. A great way to learn
about such issues is through a Model United Na-
tions session. One can gain incredible insight into
the methods and intricacies of international rela-
tions by dealing with them first hand through an
international simulation.
Model United Nations sessions often run
many meetings and frequently meet more than
once a week. In general, each country is repre-
sented by one or two students who do research
on their country and its positions on various is-
sues. During the meeting, the simulated General
Assembly is usually presented with a single is-
sue that they must resolve. Then, following rules
of Parliamentary Procedure, they debate various
proposals to solve the problem while remaining in
character with their nations.
Few activities can relay the arts of com-
promise and negotiation -- the basis of interna-
tional relations -- quite as well as such sessions.
If your members are truly committed to putting in
the work, a model United Nations session can be
a truly great activity.
Each country is represented by one or two
students who research their country, so they can
accurately represent it. They should know basic
facts about their country (like location, population,
form of government, politics, dominant religions,
etc.) as well as their country’s recent history, past
relations with other nations and critical issues.
Which countries you choose to have rep-
resented is also up to you. Some chapters choose
to run “Model Security Councils” where only the
fifteen members of the UN Security Council are
represented. These work particularly well when
dealing with a crisis since it is frequently the Se-
curity Council who deals with real life international
crises.
The issue you deal with should be one rela-
Section C
tively easy to understand and in the news. The
challenge for your members should be to repre-
sent their countries in character and to practice
the arts of negotiation and compromise -- a very
complicated or obscure topic will only make this
more difficult. The issue should also be some-
thing that concerns many countries.
In general, the General Assembly or Se-
curity Council should be presented with a prob-
lem and given plenty of specifics and information
about the situation. Consider having members
address the General Assembly as representatives
of the nations most directly involved. The floor
should then be open to motions from member na-
tions. The idea here is for the nations to speak
about how they feel and then come up with a reso-
lution that can be agreed to by a majority. How
they do this is largely up to them, as long as Par-
liamentary Procedure is adhered to. Have some-
one very experienced in Parliamentary Procedure
play the role of Secretary-General (or President
of the Security Council) and moderate.
Model United Nations frequently take sev-
eral meetings -- it may be good to have these meet-
ings every day for a week instead of letting a full
week go by between meetings. People should be
signed up for their nations several weeks in ad-
vance, and you should have a preliminary meet-
ing to go over the way your particular Model United
Nations will work. In general, only plan a Model
United Nations if your members will really re-
search their countries, read the newspaper and
reflect as accurately as possible what their coun-
tries would really do in a given situation. A Model
United Nations takes a great deal of organizing
and energy, so make sure your chapter is up for it
before planning one.
Impromptu Speech Contests
Impromptu speech contests involve many
people giving short ‘impromptu’ speeches on top-
ics they are given only moments before they have
to speak, and then voting on who gave the best
speech. Impromptu speech contests are a great
way to strengthen your chapter members’ on-your-
feet speaking skills and are usually a lot of fun.
They can be an excellent alternative activity one
meeting during a long string of more serious ac-
C-16
tivities. They can also be a great way to prepare
for a convention or to maintain member interest
right after a convention. Although they are a great
deal of fun, do not resort to having them too often,
as the more in depth traditional activities are much
more educational.
Start by creating a list of 30 - 50 topics
ranging from serious, the death penalty is cruel
and unusual punishment, to nonsense, turtles are
better pets than cats. If your chapter members
need practice in public speaking, use lighter top-
ics that anyone can speak on. If your chapter is
full of award winning debaters, make all the top-
ics serious and have a real competition. Write
the topics on slips of paper or index cards. Par-
ticipants should pick the topic out of a bowl and
then take two to three minutes to prepare. Their
speech should last three minutes. Have the next
participant step outside of the room to prepare
while the speech is being given.
At the end, have chapter members vote
on the winner. If you are running a real serious
competition, you may want to have a panel of
judges determine the winner.
Local Government Simulations
A simulation of a school board, city coun-
cil, county board of supervisors or county com-
missioners meeting serves two important pur-
poses. First, the simulation will educate chapter
members about a particular issue. Second, chap-
ter members will get firsthand experience with how
local government is run.
Select a controversial local government
issue. For example, if you were to hold a Mock
School Board Session, you may choose the is-
sue of condom distribution. Next, find out how
your local school board conducts its meetings.
How many members are on the school board?
What type of agenda do they follow? Then select
participants to be the school board members. The
school board member should have different opin-
ions on the topic at hand. Let the school board
members debate the issue and allow time for au-
dience members to address the board with their
opinions. Audience members can also be as-
signed specific roles, like local minister, teacher
or concerned parent.

Creative Chapter Meetings
One of the key things to remember in lead-
ing a chapter is that to a great extent it is yours.
You are the leader of the chapter and with those
many responsibilities come a great many privi-
leges. One of these is being able to be creative
with your chapter meetings.
The above activities are just suggestions
for what other chapters and leaders have tried in
the past. While you may find that these activities
work very well for your chapter, you never know
what will work better until you try. Be creative! Be
original! Unlike Debate Clubs, Model U.N., Mock
Legislatures and other clubs, the Junior State does
not restrict its activities to any one type. You are
free to try whatever educational activities you think
will work, provided your school administration and
teacher/advisor agree to it.
Social Activities
You should not feel limited in your chapter
activities to only very serious and dry chapter
meetings. After all, the Junior State is a social
organization. People join it primarily to meet other
interesting people and exchange ideas with them.
Maintaining the right balance between educational
and social activities in your chapter is extremely
important.
Ideally, a chapter should try to create ac-
tivities that are both educational and social, such
as watching a political or controversial movie to-
gether. Chapters may want to end their more se-
rious activities with something on the lighter side,
like scheduling a few debates before a school
dance or hosting a beach party or barbecue after
an afternoon of debating.
In addition to making the club more enjoy-
able, holding regular social activities can do won-
ders for your chapter’s image, morale and sense
of unity. A bunch of people who don’t know each
other getting together once a week to debate is
not a fun club to be in. A group of diverse individu-
als who are all friends and respect and like each
other is much more what your Junior State chap-
ter should be like. Social activities also let people
see other sides of your members other than their
political faces. It gives them a sense of together-
ness and unity which can really create chapter
C-17
Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities
Hold brainstorming meetings with your
chapter leaders to create new ideas for activities.
Try combining activities, changing orders around,
involving more and different types of people, al-
tering formats or go for something entirely differ-
ent. If there is an important issue your chapter
should address, don’t feel limited to addressing it
in one of the traditional formats. A creative format
specialized for the issue may be the most educa-
tional way to handle it. Do whatever will interest,
excite, involve and educate your chapter mem-
bers.
Let the traditions and patterns in the Jun-
ior State give you a foundation upon which to build
-- don’t let them box you in and prevent you from
trying new things. Many of the Junior State’s great-
est activities started as original creations of a
leader’s inspired imagination.
spirit. Your chapter’s image will be changed as
more and more people who once saw your chap-
ter as ‘not for them’ will join in and bring their friends
as well.
Often, social activities are best held at dif-
ferent times from your regular chapter meetings.
Evenings and weekends can work quite well.
Social activities are usually very popular, but try
not to overdo them -- too many social activities
and not enough educational ones can change your
club into a party club rather than a Junior State
chapter. Keep an appropriate balance between
the social and educational sides, and always make
sure that the social side is in some way enhanc-
ing the overall education of the club.
The following are some examples of so-
cial activities that have worked in the past. Don’t
be afraid to be creative and try other ideas as well.
Spaghetti Dinner
Find a chapter member who is willing to
host a spaghetti dinner and set a date that is con-
venient for your chapter. (Of course, it doesn’t
have to be spaghetti -- it is just a simple sugges-
tion -- any simple, inexpensive food will do. Veg-
etarian food is often best as it will accommodate
both vegetarians and those following most reli-
Section C
gious dietary laws.) Have members sign up in
advance so the host will know how much food to
purchase. Have a fee that will cover the cost of
the food. Consider having a debate before or some
sort of discussion during the dinner. Remember
to publicize it well in advance to make sure that
people will not have conflicting plans.
Potluck Dinners
Potluck Dinners can also be very success-
ful social activities similar to the spaghetti dinner.
Have chapter members sign up for each item that
is needed. Either find a member willing to have
the dinner at his/her house or hold it at park or
other suitable area. Remember to have some-
one bring cutlery, plates, cups and napkins and
sign a few people up to stay after to help clean up.
Consider having some sort of other activity or
entertainment during the dinner as with the spa-
ghetti dinner.
Installation and Awards Banquet
An Installation and Awards Banquet can
easily become an annual event. You can frequently
hold it at a local restaurant. Call far ahead of time
and find out what facilities they have. Some res-
taurants will give you an entire room for the evening
if you promise to have so many people attend and
order food. Hold the banquet at the end of the
year after your new officers have been elected.
Install the new officers, and give awards to honor
those members who have worked especially hard
in the last year. This type of activity can give people
some time to reflect on the organization and re-
Political Awareness Events
& Political Activism
As stated earlier, the mission of the Junior
State is to educate, involve and represent the youth
of America. While most of the activities discussed
thus far have focused on educating, political
awareness and activism can include the latter two
as well. Political awareness events and political
activism are two things your chapter should seri-
ously consider doing.
Political activism gives high school stu-
dents who are not of voting age a voice in the real
world of government and politics. It lets students
C-18
ally raise the support and enthusiasm for the or-
ganization in its next year.
Watching a Movie
Seeing a movie can be a lot of fun and
very educational as well. Pick a time when most
of your members can meet. Weeknights often
work well, as many people make other plans for
weekends. Pick a movie with a social, political or
otherwise controversial theme. Most movie rental
stores will have a wide variety of such films. Make
the meeting about an hour longer than the movie.
Make some popcorn (or something else if you pre-
fer). Before starting the movie, pose a few ques-
tions or things to take note of while watching the
film. (It is a good idea to have someone watch
the film ahead of time.) After the movie, start a
discussion. Discuss the issues of importance in
the movie, what message the writer was trying to
convey, what reaction there was when it came
out and anything else about the movie you think
your members will find interesting. Let the con-
versation go on as long as it does naturally -- don’t
force people to stay real late against their will.
If the movie is not too long, you might also
consider showing it at three or four consecutive
lunch meetings within the same week. This can
be difficult if there are other clubs meeting, how-
ever. Don’t spread the segments out over sev-
eral weeks as people will forget what is going on
and not bother to show up.
experience, first-hand, how the system really
works. Further, your chapter members are more
likely to remain politically active after graduation if
they get some experience dealing with govern-
ment officials while in high school.
When planning political awareness and
activism events for your chapter, you must re-
member that The Junior State is a nonpartisan
organization. This means that your chapter, nor
the Junior State in general, cannot affiliate itself
with a political party, partisan campaigns or with a

single side of a controversial issue. In our Ameri-
can two-party system, this may seem to rule out
any real political activism. This is not the case.
Chapters that hold political activities make sure
that both sides of the issue are represented and
that chapter members are encouraged to take a
stand on the side they believe in. For example, if
you wish to tackle the issue of a dress code at
your school, your chapter may be divided on the
issue. Your challenge is to give the chapter mem-
bers the tools they need to address this issue with
the school administration and the school board,
no matter which side they are on. Bringing in ex-
perts to address both sides of the issue will make
the whole chapter more informed and better ad-
vocates, no matter which side of the issue they
believe in. Also, because you will have people on
both sides working closely together, your chapter
discussions may be instrumental in forging a com-
promise solution.
Taking a strong stance on an issue not all
your members agree with may cause you to lose
participation from those members. You need them
to keep the political diversity that makes your
chapter interesting and educational. If your chap-
ter gets the image that is a bastion of conserva-
tism or a haven for liberals, many people with dif-
fering points of view will be turned off from joining.
You need them both in terms of strength and po-
litical diversity. It is very easy and often fun to
have a chapter unified around similar political ide-
ologies, but that is not what JSA is for. JSA is for
examining your own political ideology and chal-
lenging it - you can’t challenge it without other
people feeling free to express their viewpoints.
Always delineate between the members of your
chapter and your chapter as a whole. Everyone
must feel comfortable expressing their views at
your chapter meetings. Be careful with political
activism that you do not destroy this.
Sample Political Awareness and Activism Ac-
tivities:
• Candidates Forum
Inviting the candidates running for a par-
ticular local office to your chapter meeting or
school for an assembly is a perfect way to get
chapter members and others involved in politics.
Candidates are always looking for volunteers to
C-19
Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities
help out and speaking to your chapter is a great
way to introduce the chapter members to the can-
didates and vise-versa.
For students that are not looking to get in-
volved in a campaign, the event is still extremely
educational. It lets them hear politicians up close
and crystalizes the issues of the campaign for
them. Further, they will gain an understanding of
the position for which the candidates are running.
Consider holding the Candidate Forum in the
evening when parents can attend also.
• Letter writing campaigns
Letter writing campaigns are a good way
for your chapter to focus on one particular issue
or piece of legislation. Before you start the cam-
paign, remember to provide lots of information on
both sides of the issue. You may want to have
adult speakers or a student debate on the issue
before your chapter members sit down to write
their letters.
Your job will be to give chapter members
the name(s) and address(es) of the elected offi-
cials for your area who have direct control over
the issue or legislation at hand. Be careful not to
write to office holders who do not have any juris-
diction over the matter. The chapter may also
provide members with paper, envelopes and
stamps. Do not give your chapter form letters to
fill out and mail in -- this is a common technique
of politicial action committees and most officials
ignore these mass produced letters and post
cards. You want to ensure that each member
writes his or her own letter with his or her own
feelings on the issue included. Members' letters
express their personal point of view, not the views
of the Junior State. These letters are more likely
to be read and acted upon.
• Voter Registration Drive
Most Junior State chapters conduct voter
registration drives on their campus for students
who turn 18. Contact the Registrar of Voters in
your county to obtain the proper forms. Find out
the deadline for registering for the next election.
Make sure to ask if there are any special instruc-
tions you must follow. Some chapters obtain the
birthdays of all members of their school and send
the voter registration form to them in their
Section C
homeroom as a birthday gift. You may also want
to have all chapter members take forms home to
make sure that their parents are registered.
• Town Hall Meetings
Is your community currently debating an
issue that directly affects youth? Maybe your
chapter should sponsor a Town Hall Meeting
where students, parents, public officials can hash
out all the pros and cons of the issue. For ex-
ample, many cities have recently adopted or are
considering teen curfews. City councils can adopt
such an ordinace with or without input from young
people. Town hall meetings give youth a chance
to explain their feelings on issues affecting them
to community members and office holders.
• Field Trips
One of the best ways to learn about gov-
ernment is to observe it in action -- up close and
personal. Arranging a field trip for your chapter to
visit a school board, city council meeting or court
trials involves a lot of work, but it is extrememly
Involving Your Whole Campus and Community
The ideal Junior State chapter serves not
only as an educational tool for its members but
as the center for political education and activism
for the entire campus or even community. The
benefits that your members can attain from edu-
cational activities and events can be brought to
your entire campus or community with a little hard
work. What these events can do for your school
and your community makes it well worth the ef-
fort. In return your chapter will have a heightened
sense of purpose, greater enthusiasm and unity
and a strengthened public image.
Any of the activities we have discussed in
this binder can be made school-wide or open to
the community. Much of the logistics of the event
will depend on your school policies and commu-
nity structure, but some basic guidelines for in-
volving your whole school or community are out-
lined below.
Get School/Administration Approval First
The first thing to do (once you have your
activity in mind) is to discuss it with your school
C-20
rewarding.
The first step is getting school approval,
especially when meetings will be conducted dur-
ing school hours. Next, contact the clerk of the
school board or city council who will be able to
help you arrange the details of your visit and give
you a copy of the agenda for the meeting. You
may want to schedule your trip when their is a hot
topic being debated. The clerk may also be able
to tell you how you or your chapter members can
get on the agenda to address the members of the
school board or city council -- some of the chap-
ter member may want to prepare short speeches
to deliver. Make sure that your representative on
the school board or city council knows that you
are going to be in attendance -- they will probably
give you special recognition during the meeting!
If you want to attend a trial, judicial offi-
cials can frequently tell you which trials are being
held in which courtroom.
administration and teacher/advisor. These people
will need to help you every step of the way, so
good communication and a trusting relationship
is crucial. If you want the activity to be school
wide, discuss how you might achieve this with
your school administration and student leadership.
Some chapters have been able to hold a school-
wide assembly run by their chapter. Others have
had every class conduct a poll or other brief activ-
ity during the same period. Discuss your objec-
tives in running the activity and figure out what
options you might have. If you want the activity to
be open to the entire community, your school ad-
ministration needs to work with you even more.
Your chapter represents your school, and your
school’s administration is ultimately responsible
for your chapter’s actions. Do not try to work
around your school administration in any circum-
stances -- work with them and cooperate with
them at every step of the way.
Publicize, publicize, publicize...
Any school-wide or community based
event is going to need extensive publicity. Even if
the event is a mandatory school-wide assembly,

students need to walk in already knowing about
the activity and excited about it. Publicity for a
school-wide or community based activity needs
to start at least four weeks in advance and more if
at all possible. If your event will be open for the
public to attend, you need to get major coverage
in local newspapers, fliers all over town and calls
(if possible) to local community leaders. You can-
not expect people to automatically be excited
about something just because you are -- it takes
a lot of work. Publicize as much as you possible
can and then publicize some more. It is essential
to running a good event.
Take your audience into consideration
When running a school-wide or commu-
nity based event, you need to remember that you
are not doing this for just your chapter members.
While your chapter members may have a basic
understanding of the issue(s) that your event is
addressing, you cannot assume this of everyone
at your school or in your community. Many Junior
State members know more about current events
and issues than full grown adults do. You must
assume that there are people attending who know
absolutely nothing about the issue(s), and you
must cater it to their needs. Also consider your
audience when choosing the way you approach
the issue(s). A school-wide audience’s attention
can be much more difficult to keep than your chap-
ter members’. Cater it to the interest of the typi-
cal member of your audience.
Involve your entire chapter
Involving your entire chapter in planning the
event is absolutely essential to the event’s suc-
cess. You are trying either to get your entire school
or your whole community interested and excited
about your activity, and your chapter members are
your closest link to both your school and your com-
munity. For students to be excited about a school-
wide assembly (for more reasons than just miss-
ing class) they need to have heard of the event
and how amazing it will be. By getting your chap-
ter members involved and excited in the event,
you have a much greater chance of accomplish-
ing this goal. Your chapter members will tell their
friends and their friends may mention it to their
friends, and so on. In a school of 1,000 students,
fifty chapter members each telling ten non-JSA
member friends about an activity will mean that
over half the school attends the activity having al-
C-21
Chapter Meetings & Meeting Activities
ready heard about it directly. If your event is for
the whole community, involved and excited mem-
bers will tell their parents, friends and grandpar-
ents and will likely bring in a huge piece of your
event’s attendance.
Getting your members involved in this type
of activity does not just mean telling them to go
out and get people to attend. People told to do
that seldom will. Getting people involved means
giving everyone a part on planning the event. Have
chapter-wide meetings for everyone to put in their
ideas and make everyone feel important in the plan-
ning process. Plan committees of members to
take care of certain issues and appoint enthusi-
astic leaders who will excite their committee mem-
bers. Show that it is not just one person but many
different people who are excited about the event.
Create a snowball effect of enthusiasm. As more
and more people join the effort and get excited
about the event, more and more people will want
to participate. Invite everyone to help and find
something for everyone to do. The success of an
event like this depends on a huge amount of
school-wide and community based momentum
to keep it going. Make it big.
Thank all participants
If lots of people showed up to a school-
wide activity, you obviously cannot thank each par-
ticipant individually. However, if there were cer-
tain people who played an unusually large role or
special people (like local government officials) who
made a special effort to attend thank them per-
sonally and in writing afterwards. They may not
notice if you forget, but they certainly will notice if
you remember. Having people think well of your
chapter is very important.
Use the event to strengthen your chapter
The possibilities to strengthen your chap-
ter through such an event are limitless. Get as
much publicity and media coverage as possible.
See if the local newspaper or radio station will do
a brief interview with the activity planners. Send
out press releases before the event to as many
local newspapers, radio and television stations as
possible. Take pictures and send them along with
summaries to local papers after the event. Have
your school newspaper do a large write up of the
event, people’s reactions to it and what it accom-
plished.
Section C

Use the event’s success to raise your

chapter membership and the respect for your club
on campus and in the community. Show that the
Junior State really is committed to political activ-
ism and education and that the youth of your com-
munity really do care and can make a difference.
Meet with your officers, teacher-advisor and
school administration if possible to discuss the
event, what it accomplished and what you can do
to make the most of it.

C-22
 Preparing a Delegation for a Junior State Convention

Preparing Your Chapter for a Junior State Overnight Convention

WHAT HAPPENS AT A CONVENTION?

Junior State overnight conventions are the
most exciting events the organization offers.
These spectacular programs bring together hun-
dreds of politically aware and opinionated high
school students. The most common activity at a
convention is the debate. Debating on a topic that
is of personal interest is a great way to get into
the spirit of the convention. For those who don’t
wish to debate, moderating is also a good way to
become very involved in a debate. A mock trial is
another big activity at some conventions. Mem-
bers can serve as judges, jury members, wit-
nesses or lawyers. Those who are on the shy
side may prefer to participate in thought talks or
listen to expert panels. Some people really enjoy
organizing things and behind-the-scenes work.
Logistics are for them. Logistics are the adminis-
trative jobs that make the convention work. Each
Spring State Convention features the exciting elec-
tions of Junior State officers. Your chapter can
run a candidate or participate by campaigning for
others. Beyond that, there are social activities
such as the dance on Saturday night. Whatever
your members choose to do, going to a conven-
tion is one of the best ways to get them really ex-
cited about JSA.
WHAT KINDS OF TOPICS ARE DEBATED?
Check the convention brochure for the
exact list proposed for each conference. Here’s
a sample list:

Resolved, that abortion be illegal except in the case of rape, incest or to save the life
of the mother.
Resolved, that handguns be banned.
Resolved, that food production hormones be prohibited.
Resolved, that cigarette companies should not be held responsible for the ill effects
of smoking.
Resolved, that the minimum wage be abolished.
Resolved, that a multi-party system is better than a two-party system.
Resolved, that drugs be legalized.
Resolved, that term limits be set for members of Congress.
Resolved, that the Republican Revolution has failed.
Resolved, that the UN should create its own military and peace-keeping force.
Resolved, that English proficiency be required for US citizenship.
Resolved, that euthanasia be legal.
Resolved, that recentered SAT scores symbolize the decline of US education.
Resolved, that all forms of gambling be prohibited.
Resolved, that prostitution be legalized.
Resolved, that all public school students be required to wear school uniforms.
Resolved, that the death penalty be abolished.
Resolved, that the US should adopt an isolationist foreign policy.
Resolved, that the US terminate all relations with nations that condone terrorism.
Resolved, that the recent wave of immigration has improved America.
Resolved, that environmental protection is more important than economic growth.
Resolved, that government sponsored affirmative action programs be eliminated.
Resolved, that government programs for school integration are no longer needed.
Resolved, that there be mandatory drug testing for all welfare recipients.
Resolved, that high school students should attend single sex math and science
classes.
Resolved, that the office of the Presidency has too much power.

1
Appendix C
HOW ARE CONVENTION HOW DO I ARRANGE FOR A
AGENDAS ORGANIZED? TEACHER TO ATTEND THE CONVENTION?
Conventions are organized into “activity Your chapter’s teacher/advisor must ac-
blocks.” There are several activities going on si- company your chapter to the convention. Be-
multaneously during any given block, and del- cause of this, it’s probably best to find a teacher/
egates can choose to attend the activities that advisor for your chapter who would enjoy watch-
most appeal to them. Here is a sample agenda ing the convention activities. Social studies teach-
summary for a two day convention: ers (Civics, History, Economics) are usually your
best bet. New teachers are particularly receptive
Saturday to getting involved. Many teachers are interested
Registration 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. in politics regardless of the subjects they teach,
Opening Session 10:00 a.m - 11:00 a.m. so approach some of the less obvious teachers,
Block I 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon too. With the approval of your school, a teacher’s
Lunch 12:00 noon - 1:30 p.m. spouse or a parent may assist the teacher as a
Block II 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. supplemental advisor, as long as the majority of
Block III 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. your advisors are teachers. For example, if you
Block IV 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. are sending 50 students to a convention, you need
Key Distribution 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 3 advisors. Two must be teachers, but if your
Dinner 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. school approves, the third advisor can be a par-
Chapter Caucus 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. ent.
Social Activity 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Curfew 12:00 midnight WHAT AM I PAYING FOR?
Lodging at the hotel, all educational mate-
Sunday rials, exciting educational programs and the dance
Breakfast 7:30 a.m - 9:00 a.m. on Saturday night are covered by the registration
Block V 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. fee. Meals are not included, but there are inex-
Block VI 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. pensive restaurants near all the convention sites.
Block VII 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Delegations that live far from a convention site
Lunch !2:00 noon - 1:30 p.m. can usually arrange to arrive the night before the
Closing Session 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. convention for an additional fee, with approval in
advance from the JSA Program Director. They
WHAT ARE THE must be accompanied by a teacher/advisor who
RULES REGARDING ATTENDANCE? must stay overnight and supervise the students.
All student participants from your high
school and their teacher advisor(s) must register WHAT DO I HAVE TO
together as one delegation. Students from other DO TO REGISTER MY CHAPTER?
schools may not attend the convention as part of First of all, THOROUGHLY read the con-
your delegation, nor may outsiders visit members vention registration packet. TWICE. It tells you
of any delegation during the convention. Chapter precisely what you need to do and answers the
presidents and teacher advisors are responsible most frequently asked questions. It also contains
for organizing and submitting the registration pack- all the necessary forms. Helpful hint: Set your
ets for their delegations to The Junior State office chapter’s internal registration deadline sufficiently
in a well-organized and timely fashion. For every in advance to allow you time for organizing the
group of 1-19 students in your delegation, you materials and for mail delivery. Remember, if your
MUST bring at least one teacher (1 for 1-19 stu- registration is late, every delegate will be charged
dents, 2 for 20-38 students, 3 for 39-57 students, a late fee. If you run into unforeseen problems
etc.). Delegations that arrive at a convention with- that will delay your registration beyond the dead-
out adequate adult supervision will be sent home. line, get in touch with The Junior State office.
Rules of conduct at the convention are explained
on the Permission Slips that all delegates and their Here’s what you will need to submit (MAKE
parents must read, sign and submit as part of your COPIES FOR YOUR OWN RECORDS
delegation’s registration packet. BEFORE YOU SEND THEM):

2
 Preparing a Delegation for a Junior State Convention
1) Registration form and payment in full
2) The Hotel Rooming List signed by your teacher
advisor
3) A Permission Slip for every delegate signed
by the delegate and a parent /guardian
WHAT ARE SOME GUIDELINES FOR ARRANG-
ING PAYMENT AND PREPARING THE
FORMS?
Registration Form and Payment: This
form is an inventory of who is coming and how
much payment is due. Fill it out completely and
explain anything that is unusual or could be mis-
understood.
Here are the payment options:
One inclusive check payable to The Junior State
from your school. If your school takes a long time
to process check requests, send a copy of the
documentation showing that you have arranged
with the school to send the check, PLUS a guar-
antee from the school that payment will be re-
ceived before the start of the convention.
OR
One inclusive check payable to The Junior State
from a parent or teacher (delegates pay that indi-
vidual)
OR
A school purchase order (must be payable within
90 days).
DO NOT SEND INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL
CHECKS FROM THE DELEGATES. DO NOT
SEND CASH.
If you are mailing your chapter’s taxes at the same
time, the taxes should be paid with a separate
check.
Hotel Rooming List Signed by your
Teacher Advisor: Housing arrangements call for
four students of the same sex to be housed in a
room with two beds. For large groups, it may be
easiest to ask the delegates themselves to work
out groups of four to room together. Remember,
you have every right to question a rooming choice.
As chapter president, you are responsible for your
delegation’s conduct at the convention. If you think
a rooming arrangement may lead to problems,
talk with the individuals involved and work things
3
out in advance. For smaller delegations, it’s some-
times better to make rooming assignments your-
self to avoid anyone feeling that they were the one
person not wanted in the room with everyone else.
If you have an odd number of delegates, try to put
leadership people and/or more mature and out-
going students in the room that will be shared with
another school. The Junior State conference reg-
istrar will then assign students from another
school to share the room with them. Make sure
these students are aware you are doing this and
are open to meeting new people. Once a room-
ing list has been submitted to the JSA office, no
changes may be made in the rooming assign-
ments.
Please make arrangements with The Jun-
ior State office before the registration deadline if
any of your delegates will need special arrange-
ments due to a physical disability or handicap.
You will also be requesting hotel accom-
modations for your teacher advisor(s) on this form.
Be sure you check with them about the housing
arrangements they prefer.
Make sure your housing list is legible--it
will be used to generate your delegation’s
nametags.
Permission Slips: Permission slips list
the rules for the convention and require the signa-
ture of each delegate and a parent or guardian.
When you first get your registration packet, pho-
tocopy a generous supply of the permission slips.
Pass them out to prospective delegates early, so
they’ll have plenty of time to get them signed and
turned in to you before the deadline.
WHAT ABOUT REFUNDS?
Because guarantees have to be made to
the hotels far in advance of conventions, the Jun-
ior State office will not make refunds after the reg-
istration deadline has passed. Likewise, if you
send in a copy of documentation and a guarantee
that a school check is being processed, you will
be held to your original headcount and must pay
for any students who cancel. Paid delegates who
find themselves unable to attend should find an-
other student from their school to go in their place
and have the new delegate reimburse them for
the registration fee. The replacement student
Appendix C
MUST submit a permission slip. Also, The Junior
State reserves the right to send home, without
refund and at their own expense, any individual
delegates, or even an entire delegation, for viola-
tions of the conference’s rules of conduct. Make
sure your delegates are aware of this.
HOW DO I GET PEOPLE TO COME?
The same way you get people to a chap-
ter meeting. The same publicity strategies apply.
Have a couple of informational meetings about the
convention. Mention it at EVERY club function.
Call the Junior State office to get extra brochures
to hand out to your members. Every potential
delegate should have a brochure to show his or
her parents. Parents are more receptive if they
can see a brochure explaining the event
The convention’s biggest selling points are
the activities and the atmosphere. Talk about spe-
cific topics that will be discussed. Topics will
range from enduring controversies like abortion
and gun control, to current affairs ripped from the
headlines. Chances are that if you read about in
the newspaper or on the web, there will be an ac-
tivities where you can discuss it at the JSA con-
vention.
The atmosphere at the convention is an-
other reason students love JSA conventions. Stu-
dents speak passionately about the issues of day
and express their opinions openly in a tolerent at-
mosphere. All the delegates don't agree with each
other, but everyone respects others' views and
respects them more when they express those
views with sincerity.
Get prospective delegates to a regional or
one-day event if you can. Most people are willing
to spend $5 (the usual registration fee for a re-
gional conference) to find out what JSA is all about.
On top of the intense political activities,
there are more relaxed and entertaining activiies
as well. There's usually a dance at night along
with several other social activities. Part of the fun
is just being with other students who have the
same interests and meeting new friends who have
varied talents and interets.
Talk about the convention incessantly.
Word of mouth is very powerful. Make presenta-
4
tions to classes. Then you get the “That sounds
like fun. Maybe I’ll go. I’ll go if you do” effect. It’s
an easy way to double your delegation. Announce
it in the daily bulletin if you can. Ask government
and other Social Studies teachers to make an-
nouncements.
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
Remember, first of all, that students are
not allowed to drive themselves to JSA overnight
conventions. Check your school rules on trans-
portation. You may be able to form carpools with
parents and teachers driving. Some conventions
offer bus transportation for an additional fee, or
your school can hire its own bus. In many areas
you can take Amtrak, subways or other trains to a
station near the convention. Start planning trans-
portation early. The longer you wait, the more ex-
pensive and harder to arrange it is.
WHEN SHOULD I START PREPARING?
NOW. Start publicizing as soon as you
know the dates. Check with the Principal, Vice-
Principal or Activities director at your school about
any school approval that needs to be arranged.
Do this well in advance to allow time for obtaining
approval. Find out what it takes and how long it
takes to get a check from your school and factor
that into your planning. Hand out permission slips
and brochures as soon as you get them. Have
an informational meeting about the convention.
Take a count of how many people expect to at-
tend and get their telephone numbers so you can
follow up with them. Insist that all the delegates’
registration materials be returned to you well be-
fore the deadline (at the very latest a week in ad-
vance) to allow time for you to arrange for pay-
ment, time for you to get your packet organized
and the time needed for mail delivery.
FINALLY!...
Have your convention preparation meet-
ing two or three days before the convention itself.
Delegates, your teacher/advisor(s) and parents
should attend. Go over the rules, activities, what
to bring, transportation plans and special respon-
sibilities.
Remember to bring copies of all the reg-
istration documents to the convention with you.
Follow this checklist:
 Preparing a Delegation for a Junior State Convention

A Checklist for Preparing Your Delegation for a Junior State

Convention
1._____Get School Approval.
_____ Give a copy of the brochure to the school official in charge of student activities.
_____ Find out the procedure for obtaining school approval for the trip.
_____ Find out the procedure for obtaining a purchase order if your school offers this op-
tion. If so, find out the payment schedule.
_____ Find Teacher/Advisors to accompany your delegation.

2._____Publicize.
_____ Pass out brochures to every chapter member or potential chapter member. Tell them
to take the brochure home and show their parents. More brochures are available
from the Junior State Office, just call 1-800-334-5353.
_____ Distribute brochures to teachers and club advisors who may know of interested stu-
dents.
_____ Post brochures around your campus. Write your name and phone number on the
brochure as a contact person for interested students.

3._____Registration.
_____ Find out procedure for obtaining a school check for your entire delegation’s registra-
tion fees. If your school cannot do this for you, you may have to have a Teacher/Advisor
or parent write the check. If this is the case, tell your chapter members to whom they
should make their checks payable. The Junior State cannot accept individual checks
from each delegate.
_____ Pass out Parent Permission Slips to all interested students.
_____ Set deadline for returning registration checks and Permission Slips to you. This dead-
line should be at least ONE FULL WEEK before the JSA convention registration dead-
line.
_____ Collect checks and process them with your school in order to obtain one inclusive
check for all registration fees. Remember, you need a separate check for your mem-
bership taxes.
_____ Collect Permission Slips. Make sure every delegate has gone over the Permission Slip
with their parents and has returned the signed slip to you.
_____ Fill out Registration Form and Hotel Rooming List Form. Make sure these forms are
legible and all the names are spelled correctly. Have your Teacher-Advisor review the
Registration and the Rooming List Forms and sign the Rooming List.
_____ Mail the Registration Form, Hotel Rooming List Form, registration check, and permis-
sion slips. Make two copies of each of the forms, keep one for yourself and give one
to your Teacher-Advisor. Double check all registration materials for accuracy. Make
sure your registration materials are postmarked by the registration deadline to
avoid incurring a late fee of $10.00 per delegate.

4._____Arrange Transportation. Remember: No student driven cars are allowed at Junior

State conventions.
_____ Figure out how your delegation will arrive at the hotel. If you are attending a con-
vention where JSA is offering transportation, make sure your registration materials
indicate whether you are planning to utilize our buses or not.
_____ If your delegation is large enough, you may want to arrange buses through your
school district or outside bus company. If you chose to do this, START EARLY. The
process could take a few weeks.

5
Appendix C

_____ If you decide to car pool, make sure to find enough parent drivers to accommodate
your entire delegation. Set a time and place for everyone to meet before the conven-
tion and the meeting (schedule it for the evening hours). Go over transportation,
what to bring, the format of the convention, and, most importantly, the convention
rules.
_____ Schedule one chapter meeting where you debate or discuss one or more of the de-
bate topics from the convention (can be format for many meetings).
_____ Make sure to select a chapter representative(s) for special events like State Assembly
Meetings or simulation activities.

6._____What to bring with you:

_____ A phone list of all of your delegates complete with emergency contact phone numbers
and the cell phone numbers for all the delegates who have them.
_____ Copies of the Registration Receipt letters sent to you by the Junior State Office.
_____ All fees must be paid before the convention. In the event your delegation has any
outstanding convention fees, you must contact the Junior State Registrar to obtain
approval to pay these outstanding fees at the door. Your delegation will not be
registered into the hotel until all registration materials -- including fees and
Permission Slips -- are collected by the Convention Registrar.

If you are having trouble with your registration or if you

think you cannot send in your materials by the
registration deadline

CALL THE JUNIOR STATE OFFICE BEFORE THE

REGISTRATION DEADLINE
1-800-334-5353

6
 Preparing a Delegation for a Junior State Convention

Sample letter to Convention Delegates from a JSA Chapter President.

Dear Chapter Member:

Veteran JSA’ers and JSA newbies, I would like to brief you on the Do’s and Don’ts of the JSA Conven-
tion

Packing: First of all our Chapter prides itself in being a group of professional and intellectual students, and
we are well noted for that. The convention dress code requirements are that of formal/business attire.

For Guys, that means a suit. Dress shirt, tie, dress shoes slacks, and a suit jacket preferred; (slacks and
button down shirt are the minimum). Because this is a two day convention, I recommend you bring one suit.
If you have a spare and want to have a different one for the second day, then go ahead and bring two.
However remember that the more you take the harder it is to fit and the more baggage you’ll have.

For the Ladies, business apparel is a requirement. Usually a women’s business suit works perfectly. If you
don’t have a business suit, then I recommend a black (or other color) knee length skirt (make sure the slit
on the side isn’t too deep), and a white or colored blouse. I recommend women’s dress shoes, unless you
want to be a trooper and walk around all day going from block to block wearing heels.

Saturday evening is a social period, so you will want to bring a change of clothing, something you’d wear
every day to school, or to a school event. JSA does have a dance and other social events Saturday night, so
dress appropriately. School dress code will be in effect for the social portion of the JSA night events.

Also make sure you pack something to sleep in. Pajamas, comfortable sweats, baggy tee-shirt, or
whatever you wear to sleep. Remember, that you should not have tennis shoes, or flip flops, when we are
in the business session of the JSA convention. It’s always a good idea however, to pack a set of comfort-
able shoes for the social portion of the day.

Remember to pack toiletries as well. Deodorant, toothbrush and past, shampoo, soap, lotion, contact
solution, brushes, combs, gel, hairspray, and feminine hygiene products. You need it; you bring it.

Expensive jewelry and electronics are to be brought at your own risk. If you loose it, or leave it behind
somewhere, JSA, and our chapter, nor the hotel will assume responsibility.

Money for Food and Memorabilia: are a must. All meals will be paid for by you the individual. There will
be a flux in price ranges for places to eat. There will be a fast food restaurants near by, and more expensive
hotel restaurants or special JSA menu items from the hotel. All students will be allowed to choose where to
eat, as long as they do not go by themselves. All delegates must travel in pairs for their safety.

Spending differs on the bases of the individual’s spending habits. A delegate is strongly recommended to
bring $35.00 - $50.00 for eating purposes.

Transportation: will be done though our Chapter. Saturday morning all delegates will be at the convention
hotel by 9:15 a.m. for registration/check in. Please be on time. If our chapter arranges transportation by

7
Appendix C

bus or by carpool you will be notified of the time and place to meet on Saturday morning and a time and
place to be picked up on Sunday). Remember no students are allowed to drive to the convention or
they will be sent home. Conferences are known to end early and sometimes late. Please be flexible for
the Sunday pick up.

Rooms: will be assigned before the convention. There will be no member of the opposite gender
allowed at any given time in any of the delegate’s rooms. Violation of this school and JSA rule will result in
a report filed to the school administration and being sent home immediately from the JSA program. The
rooms will have two queen size beds, and four delegates will share a room.

Supervision: Let your parents know that Mr. Jones, our Teacher/Advisor, will be accompanying our
delegation and chaperoning us over the weekend. Because our delegation is so large other teachers from
the school, Ms. Smith, Mr. Johnson, and Ms. Nguyen, will also be with us the entire time. During the
weekend, we’ll meet as a group and check in with our advisor at lunch and dinner on Saturday, after dinner
at the Chapter Caucus on Saturday evening where JSA requires that a roll call be taken, Sunday morning at
9:30 a.m. when we have to turn in our room keys and right after closing session. Yes, there is a curfew and
bed checks at 12:15 a.m. after the dance on Saturday night – we all need to in our rooms and stay in our
rooms until morning. JSA and our school are very serious about the rules listed on the permission slip, so
READ them and DON’T BREAK them!

During the day: the debates, thought talks and other activities are the best part of JSA. While you aren’t
forced to make a speech, give it a try! It makes the convention more fun for you and all the JSA’ers are
really supportive. Make sure to pick one activity in each “activity block” to attend – we can’t just hang out
in the lobby all day.

Hopefully this letter will have addressed all questions and concerns. If there was something not addressed
by this letter, please contact me or our Teacher/Advisor

Chapter President Information Teacher/Advisor Contact Information

Home # School Phone #
Cell # Email Address
E-mail address

Sincerely,

Your JSA Chapter President.

8
 Preparing a Delegation for a Junior State Convention

STANDARD JUNIOR STATE CONVENTION RULES

1. All rules for school field trips prevail. Use of illegal drugs or alcohol is not permitted.
Students also will be punished if they are in a room where drugs or alcohol are present. The use
of tobacco products is not allowed. To ensure these rules are obeyed, the Teacher/Advisor and
The Junior Statesmen Foundation must approve the attendance of each delegate. We reserve
the right to deny any student the privilege of attending the event.

2. At Chapter Caucus students will meet with their Teacher/Advisor in the assigned rooms. No
students may leave the hotel property after the dinner break.

3. At curfew, Teacher/Advisors will check delegates at their rooms. Delegates must remain
quietly in their own rooms after curfew. Delegates also are required to meet with the Teacher/
Advisor at other designated times.

4. Delegates must attend all conference activities.

5. At no time may male and female students be in each others’ rooms.

6. Delegates may not leave the convention hotel without the permission of their Teacher/Advi-
sor. During meal times, with their Teacher/Advisor’s permission, delegates may leave the hotel
to eat in designated areas. Under no circumstances are delegates to leave the hotel after the
dinner break.

7. Delegates must wear their name tags (in a visible location) at all times.

8. All students assigned to a room are responsible for any charges made to the room. All
students assigned to a room are also responsible for the condition of the room. No outside phone
calls can be made from student hotel rooms. Room service and other items may not be charged
to a student’s room. No delegate may change rooms without the permission of The Junior
Statesmen staff members at the event.

9. No student may drive a car to the convention or ride in a student driven car during
the convention.

10. Visitors are not allowed in the convention hotel. Delegates are not allowed to associate with
any visitor who is not an official guest of the Junior State program.

11. Students are expected to dress appropriately. Delegates should respect the rights of other
hotel guests and not do anything to damage the reputation of the Junior Statesmen program.
Students must not open or throw anything out of windows. Students must stay off balco-
nies.

12. Pizza deliveries and room service deliveries are not permitted after curfew.

13. Students should not bring expensive items to the convention. Valuable items must be
stored in the hotel safe. The Junior State/The Junior Statesmen Foundation are not responsible
for items stored in a luggage storage area. No large radios or portable stereos are allowed.

9
Appendix C

Sample Convention Agenda

Fall State: “The Revolving Frontier”

Saturday, November 22
Registration 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Catalina Foyer

Opening Session 10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. Catalina Ballroom

Block 1 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Debate: Animal Testing Catalina I
Debate: Universal Health Care Fountain Terrace
Decade Debate: America’s Foreign Policy Newport II
Thought Talk: Space Exploration Program Newport III
Debate Workshop Balboa I
Teacher/Advisor & Chapter Presidents Meeting Balboa II

Block 2 12:00 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.

Debate: Flag Burning Catalina I
Debate: Capital Punishment Fountain Terrace
Debate: Exportation of Moral Values Balboa I
Decade Debate: Laissez-faire Economics Newport II
Thought Talk: Media Newport III
SER Council of Chapter Presidents/Cabinet Meeting Balboa II

Lunch 12:50 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.

Block 3 2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.

Debate: Statutory Rape Catalina I
Debate: “Soft Drugs” Fountain Terrace
Debate: PATRIOT Act Balboa I
Decade Debate: New Deal Newport II
Thought Talk: Music Newport III
Activity: The Colombia Policy Balboa II
Political Fair Catalina Foyer

Block 4 3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.

Debate: Racial Data Catalina I
Debate: Corporate America vs. Political America Fountain Terrace
Decade Debate: Nagasaki Bombing Balboa I
Thought Talk: Manifest Destiny Newport II
Activity: The Colombia Policy (continued) Balboa II
Political Fair Catalina Foyer
Teacher/Advisor Reception Huntington

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Block 5 4:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.

Debate: Recall Catalina I
Debate: Religion Fountain Terrace
Decade Debate: McCarthyism Balboa I
Thought Talk: Activism vs. Terrorism Newport II
Activity: Trading Spaces Newport I
Moderating Workshop Balboa II
Teacher/Advisor Reception Huntington Beach

Key Distribution 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Dinner 5:30 p.m. – 6:50 p.m.

Chapter Caucus 7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Evening Activities 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Comic Debate: Trix Rabbit Newport II
Movie Night: Head of State Balboa II
Quiz Bowl Fountain Terrace

Night Activities 9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Movie Night (continued) Balboa II
Dance Catalina Ballroom

Curfew 12:15 a.m.

Sunday, November 23, 2003

Breakfast & Luggage Storage 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Summer School Breakfast 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Laguna III

Block 6 9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.

Debate: Homosexual Rights Catalina I
Debate: North Korea Intervention Newport II
Decade Debate: Black Panthers-Civil Rights Movement Newport I
Thought Talk: Political Leaders Newport III
Activity: Presidential Survivor Fountain Terrace

Block 7 10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.

Debate: California Undocumented Immigrants Fountain Terrace
Debate: “Concealed Carry” Law Balboa I
Decade Debate: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Newport II
Thought Talk: Everyman Runs for Office Newport III
Speech Contest Catalina I
Assembly Meeting Newport I

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Appendix C

Block 8 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Debate: America’s Foreign Policy Catalina I
Debate: Pet Owners Balboa I
Decade Debate: “Reaganomics” Fountain Terrace
Thought Talk: When is war the answer? Newport II
Assembly Meeting Newport I
Teacher Advisor Feedback Meeting Newport III

Lunch 11:50 a.m. – 1:20 p.m.

Closing Session 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Catalina Ballroom

Present::
The Junior State of America is Proud to Present

The Revolving Frontier

Saturday, November 22
Registration & Luggage Storage
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Catalina Foyer
Chapter Presidents and Teacher/Advisors, please report to the registration table for agenda packets and
nametags. Drop your luggage off at Bristol 1 and be sure to take anything you need, because you won’t be
getting it back until dinner! Any wallets, debate notes, or lucky rabbit’s feet should be taken now!

10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. Opening Session Catalina Ballroom

Keynote Speaker: Ralph Nader
Presidential Candidate, Green Party

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BLOCK I 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

DEBATE: Animal Testing Catalina I

Resolved, that all animal testing be banned.
Public interest in animal welfare has been growing since the mid-1970s. The only legal protection afforded to animals comes from the
Animal Welfare Act of 1966, which mandates a minimum living standard for test animals. The research community also applies the rule
known as the “Three R’s”-Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement. Replacement, the substitution for living higher animals with
insentient material; Reduction of the amount of animals used to obtain experimental data; and Refinement in efforts to decrease the
incidence or severity of inhumane procedures performed on test animals.

Pro: A.J. Jabbari, Aliso Niguel

Con: Ilya Golosker, Buckley
Moderator: Greg Frenkiel, Troy

DEBATE: Universal Health Care Fountain Terrace

Resolved, that health care in the United States be universal.
The Soviet Union was the first country to have universal health care provided by the government. Since then, universal health care has been
coined as ineffective and a challenging task because of its economic liabilities. Despite this however, the United States has a different
precedent and offers equal opportunity and services to all citizens. A universal health care program would provide health care for all ages,
races, and backgrounds.

Pro: Samantha Stern, Agoura

Con: Grace Park, Sunny Hills
Moderator: Christine Lee, West

Decade DEBATE: America’s Foreign Policy Newport II

Resolved, that America’s foreign policy should be to “speak softly and carry a big stick.”
The quote “to speak softly and carry a big stick,” was initially a West African proverb. It was obtained by President Theodore Roosevelt
in 1901 and used to sponsor the establishment of a large United States Navy, which intervened in disputes regarding Alaska and Venezuela,
later adapted as the “Roosevelt Corollary.” It essentially defines a foreign policy of negotiation from a position of strength or force
intending to warn foreign leaders. Nowadays, however, many argue that the United States has abandoned this ideology and replaced it
with, “speaks loudly and carries a big stick.”

Pro: Jae Pee, Whitney

Con: Matt Faulkner, Servite
Moderator: Doran Walot, Tarbut V’ Torah

THOUGHT TALK: Space Exploration Program Newport III

Is the space exploration program an appropriate recipient of federal funding?
The most obvious triumph of the United States space exploration program (NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
was the landing of Neil Armstrong on the moon in 1969. Since then, there have been both advances and setbacks in the field. While few
major advances in actual exploration have been made, the space program is largely responsible for the invention of (or the introduction
of new uses of) such things as satellites, Velcro, and Teflon. Contrastingly, multiple disasters have taken place and been heavily
publicized (an example is the recent Columbia crash). Are we spending too much money on space exploration? Not enough? Should
federal funding for space exploration be cut? Should funding be privatized?

Moderator: Anna Coutrier, Mission Viejo

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Appendix C

DEBATE WORKSHOP Balboa I

Debating can be a daunting task for even the most experienced of JSA delegates. Recent polls show that
people, in general, fear public speaking more than they fear spiders or heights. Even seasoned JSA delegates
are not immune to this fear. This workshop will provide valuable debate techniques that will boost your
confidence and bolster your pursuit of the ever-coveted Best Speaker gavel. It is highly recommended that
new JSA delegates attend this workshop.

Led By: Bing Chen, Aliso Niguel

TEACHER/ADVISOR & CHAPTER PRESDIENTS MEETINGBalboa II

All Teacher/Advisors and Chapter Presidents are asked to come to this mandatory meeting! Not only will
you be able to ask questions about the weekend or JSA in general, but will be receiving crucial information
for your delegation.

BLOCK II 12: 00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.

DEBATE: Flag Burning Catalina I

Resolved, that flag burning is protected under the 1st Amendment.
Flag burning can be looked upon as a form of artistic expression and speech, both rights protected under the First Amendment.
However, it can also be interpreted as hate speech. The United States Supreme Court has ruled over the years that it is acceptable for
the government to limit speech that threatens public safety and peace, therefore overruling the First Amendment. Ultimately, the
lingering question of hate speech and flag burning still lies: “how far is too far?”

Pro: Judge Hensley, Palm Springs

Con: Jessica Morales, Connelly
Moderator: Niharika Bandi, University (Irvine)

DEBATE: Capital Punishment Fountain Terrace

Resolved, that the insanity plea does not preclude capital punishment.
William was responsible for the abduction and rape of four women. Upon psychiatric testing, William was found to have 10 different
personalities. His lawyers pleaded insanity, and William was put in a psychiatric institution. However, many criminals are learning
how to use the insanity plea to their advantage, sometimes even faking symptoms. In one extreme case, a man got off for a crime
because he was on a sugar high. Insanity is defined as “a legal term descriptive of a person judged to be incapable of recognizing right
from wrong or of conforming his or her behavior to the law.” Should pleading insanity protect you from the death penalty?

Pro: Alex Wong, Laguna Hills

Con: Annique DeWitt, Santa Barbara
Moderator: Diana Rosen, Northwood

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DEBATE: Exportation of Morals Balboa I

Resolved, that the United States should not export its morals to other nations.
The United States has been repeatedly criticized for imposing its morals onto sovereign nations. The United States is now viewed as
the most powerful country in the world, but also as the country whose foreign policy is “failing miserably on the world stage.” Some
argue that with levels of school shootings, hate crimes, and sexual abuse rising dramatically in the United States, we need to reevaluate
our own morals before we export them to other nations. However, at the same time, shouldn’t everyone have the right to free speech,
safety, and happiness?

Pro: Rachel Stein, Santa Barbara

Con: Ryan Petersen, Chaminade
Moderator: Grace Park, Sunny Hills

Decade DEBATE: Laissez-faire Economics Newport II

Resolved, that the laissez-faire economic policy was responsible for the “Roaring Twenties.”
The laissez-faire economic policy was a doctrine written by Thomas R. Malthus, David Ricardo, and the Manchester School. The
laissez-faire economic policy is known as “classical economics.” It holds that there is a world of economic relationships autonomous
and separable from government or politics. It is the world of the free market, governed by such laws as supply and demand. The
roaring 20’s were a period of intense growth for the economy and private businesses.

Pro: Spencer French, Chaminade

Con: Jennifer Hong, University LA
Moderator: Laura Chanan, Tarbut V’Torah

THOUGHT TALK: Media Newport III

How biased is the media?
Tell us, is Fox News really “Fair and Balanced”? We are barraged by facts in various forms every day – the television, the radio, the
Internet, newspapers, and more. Do any of these methods provide an unbiased view of important information? If not, is it possible for
the media, in any form, to provide us with unbiased facts? Is it more important to have unbiased sources of news or to ensure diversity
in reporting? What role does corporate sponsorship have on the quality of the United States’ media?

Moderator: Jessica Morales, Connelly

SOUTHERN EMPIRE CHAPTER PRESIDENT MEETING Balboa II

Are you a Chapter President? Come to the Council of Chapter Presidents meeting!!! We will be discussing
any problems you might have. If you haven’t already, this will be a chance for you to meet the people who run
your region. If your chapter president isn’t available, please send another representative from your chapter.
You will get secret, critical information about the rest of the year. See you there!

Led By: Jina Kim, Southern Empire Region Mayor

Lunch 12:50 p.m. – 1:55 p.m.

Are you daydreaming about pizza, sandwiches, and a nice tossed salad with goat cheese and caramelized
walnuts? Time to satisfy the munchies with some yummy food!

Delegates must remain inside the hotel unless accompanied by their Teacher/Advisor to one of the nearby
restaurants. Food options in the hotel include the Bisto Café where JSA delegates get 10% all orders, the
Terrace Lounge which is serving a special Mexican buffet for $8.50 for JSA delegates, or the special snack
cart outside the Grand Ballroom serving hot dogs, sandwiches and pizza slices.

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Appendix C

BLOCK III 2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.

DEBATE: Statutory Rape Catalina I

Resolved, that the statutory rape law be repealed.
Statutory rape laws were first introduced in England more than 700 years ago. They made it illegal to “ravish” a “maiden” under 12
years of age. Later, this law was brought to the United States. The law now applies to both genders and the age limit has been changed
to 18. One can now be convicted whether or not knowledge of the minor’s age was implicit or if the sex was consensual.

Pro: Loryn Lezcel, South Hills

Con: Renee Garet, Palm Springs
Moderator: Haritha Devarajan, University (Irvine)

DEBATE: “Soft Drugs” Fountain Terrace

Resolved, that “soft drugs” be decriminalized.
“Soft drugs” such as cannabis or LSD are widely believed not to result in physical dependency (unlike hard drugs such as heroin and
cocaine). The term “soft drugs” denotes drugs like marijuana that do have a decided effect upon the user, but is short lived, and
normally does not do any long term damage. However, at the moment, possession, sale, or use of both soft and hard drugs is illegal.

Pro: Alanna Lee, Pacifica

Con: Eric Bernstein, Buckley
Moderator: Lyndsay Willman, Rim of the World

DEBATE: PATRIOT Act Balboa I

Resolved, that the USA PATRIOT Act be repealed.
The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism
Act, also known as the USA PATRIOT Act came into effect on October 26, 2001. Now, many have spoken out against this Act,
saying it was passed too hastily and with very little debate in Congress, due to the fear that the September 11th tragedy inflicted. The
Act gives more power with less oversight to agencies like the FBI. It does not even define what a “terrorist” is, and leaves that up to
the Attorney General.

Pro: Jeff Guarrera, Aliso Niguel

Con: Stephanie Yu, Hacienda Heights
Moderator: John Chen, Sunny Hills

Decade DEBATE: New Deal Newport II

Resolved, that FDR abused his presidential power with the New Deal.
The Great Depression after WWI hit the United States hard. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created policies that expanded the size
of the federal government, altered its scope of operations, and greatly enlarged the powers of the presidency which were termed the
New Deal. FDR immediately called Congress into the special “hundred-day” session, and hammered through many of his social
welfare programs. Many of these worked, many did not. When the Supreme Court found the NRA and AAA unconstitutional, he
pushed for the court-reorganization plan, which would allow him to appoint more justices. Was this too far? Did FDR try to disrupt
the flow of government? Was Congress to weak to stand up to him?

Pro: Diane de Gramont, Dos Pueblos

Con: Annique DeWitt, Santa Barbara
Moderator: Jason Kim, Sunny Hills

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THOUGHT TALK: Music Newport III

It’s my music, isn’t it? A look at music downloading and file sharing.

In early September, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) began suing individuals who were
sharing a “substantial amount” (1,000 or more files) of copyrighted music on peer-to-peer networks. The
RIAA has thus far targeted file sharers from pre-teens to senior citizens. Some of the settlements brought
about by their actions are well above $10,000. Music downloaders are up in arms. Is the RIAA right, or should
they stop going after peer-to-peer users?

Moderator: Anthony Kim, Irvine

THE COLOMBIA POLICY Balboa II

It’s 2005 and two Colombian rebel forces have taken eleven Americans hostage and are preparing to
join forces to bring down the Colombian government. The drug trade has expanded, giving even
greater funds to these terrorists, and Colombia has requested American intervention. What do we
do? It’s all up to you, as you take on the role of a member of the President’s Cabinet for this open
ended two-block whirl-wind Foreign Policy Crisis Simulation.
Moderator: Spencer French, Chaminade

POLITICAL FAIR Catalina Foyer

Ever wanted to tell that political group what you really think of their policies? Ever wanted to ask them
“what in the world was that?!” Now it’s your chance! Come to the political fair, where many political
organizations will have booths set up to answer your questions, debate with you, and give you free stuff.

BLOCK IV 3:00 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

DEBATE: Racial Data Catalina I

Resolved, that California implement Proposition 54.

The controversy over Proposition 54 came to a semi-end after the October 7 recall ballot. Prop. 54 terminates the right for California’s
government agencies to collect information regarding a person’s race, ethnicity, or national origin. It argues for removing race/ethnicity
from birth and death certificates, school and university records, law records, and much, much more.

Pro: Joyce Huang, Sunny Hills

Con: Ryan Sepassi, Buckley
Moderator: Ashley Stein, Tarbut V’ Torah

DEBATE: Corporate America vs. Political America Fountain Terrace

Resolved, that corporate America controls political America.
Corporations often sponsor and support specific political ideals and candidates based on what benefits them best or what candidates
give them donations. Corporations also sponsor the media, advertisements, ideas, and possibly the news itself, directly swaying public
opinion which transfers itself into votes, arguably controlling the whole of political America.

Pro: Nina Pedrad, University (Irvine)

Con: John Sharkey, Servite
Moderator: Jay Yoon, Sunny Hills 17
Appendix C

Decade DEBATE: Nagasaki Bombing Balboa I

Resolved, that the United States should not have bombed Nagasaki, Japan.
World War II, one of the bloodiest wars in history, came to an end when the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on
Hiroshima, Japan, causing death and destruction. Japan was given an ultimatum to surrender. Shortly thereafter, on August 9, 1945,
another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.

Pro: Angela Chang, Whitney

Con: Lissy Donovan, Connelly
Moderator: Julie Walker, Fountain Valley

THOUGHT TALK: Manifest Destiny Newport II

Has the United States’ sentiment of Manifest Destiny continued into the 21st Century?

The phrase “Manifest Destiny” was first used by the American journalist and diplomat John Louis O’Sullivan in an editorial support-
ing annexation of Texas, in the July-August 1845 edition of the United States Magazine and Democratic Review. The jingoistic tenet
holds that the territorial expansion of the United States is not only inevitable but divinely ordained. The phrase was later used by
expansionists in all political parties to justify the acquisition of California, the Oregon Territory, and Alaska. By the end of the 19th
century the doctrine was being applied to the proposed annexation of various islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Technically, manifest destiny ended at the beginning of the 20th century. Nevertheless, many scholars claim that manifest destiny
continues to be the driving motivation for American foreign policy today.

Moderator: Silvia Lu, Upland

BLOCK V 4:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.

DEBATE: Recall Catalina I

Resolved, that the recall be abolished from the California Constitution.
In the beginning of the 20th century, California’s put a provision for recalling elected officers as another Progressive Era Reform. To
recall a politician, one must submit a proposal which states the reasons for recalling the official, then receive signatures on a petition,
and then submit for the recall to be placed on a statewide ballot. Under the provisions of a recall, the official being recalled cannot run
on the recall ballot, nor will the “second in command” succeed the recalled official, instead whoever gains a plurality of the votes is the
new official.

Pro: Andrea Vo, Whitney

Con: Alvin Yu, Sunny Hills
Moderator: Rachel Stein, Santa Barbara

DEBATE: Religion Fountain Terrace

Resolved, that organized religion instills morals.
Organized religion includes religious institutions such as the Catholic Church as well as the Muslim faith. Many of the statutes that
religion is based on are moral ones, such as the Ten Commandments. It is known that religion is a definite power in the world, but does
its potency and influence lie in its ability to make a noble and righteous citizen?

Pro: Kelly Linskey, Connelly

Con: Bing Chen, Aliso Niguel
Moderator: Laura Chanan, Tarbut V’Torah

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Decade DEBATE: McCarthyism Balboa I

Resolved, that McCarthyism was necessary for national security.
Joseph McCarthy, a Republican senator from Wisconsin, played on American citizen’s fear of communists to get reelected. He charged
that 205 communists were working for the State Department. Soon, the act of accusing people of be a communist was termed
McCarthyism.

Pro: Mark Woodall, Temple City

Con: Britta Grayman, Palm Springs
Moderator: Philip Gant, Peninsula

THOUGHT TALK: Activism vs. Terrorism Newport II

At what point does activism become terrorism?
There has always been a fine line between activism and terrorism. Recently, many people have been forced to wonder if that line has
been crossed. Most notable in the array of activists is the Earth Liberation Front, which has recently taken responsibility for many
high-profile acts of environmental activism (August’s torching of SUV dealerships, for example). When does activism become more
destructive than helpful? Does that line exist? Has it been crossed?

Moderator: Jina Kim, Sunny Hills

TRADING SPACES: Gun Control Newport I

The issue of gun control has become very heated in the past few decades. Learn a new way of approaching
this long standing issue as JSA puts a spin on one of America’s favorite shows. Still don’t get it? We cannot
give away the surprise.

Moderator: Diane de Gramont, Dos Pueblos

MODERATING WORKSHOP Balboa II

Do you want to become a JSA Certified Moderator? Take your first steps in getting involved in JSA and get
certified today! Moderators are an integral part of JSA, helping to make sure debates run smoothly. At the
Moderating Workshop, you can learn all about moderating, and get the chance to earn your gavel. Don’t
waste time- come learn about moderating today, and you’ll have received your certification in no time!

Led By: Christine Lee, Director of Moderating

TEACHER/ADVISOR RECEPTION Huntington Beach

Key Distribution 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Teacher/Advisors, come to information table to pick up room keys for your entire delegation. Delegates
should meet with their T/As to get their individual room keys. At this time, students can take their luggage to
their rooms. Go shower, take a nap, and get into comfortable clothes.

Dinner 5:30 p.m. – 6:50 p.m.

Time for more food! Venture outside for cheaper meals but be back on time for chapter caucus!

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Appendix C

Chapter Caucus 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Everyone must report to their Teacher/Advisor! Please check which room you are in from the list below.

Agoura, Buckley, AR Cabinet, Whitney, Aliso Niguel, Connelly, El Dorado, Irvine, Newport Beach
Mater Dei, Mission Viejo

Northwood, Newport Harbor, Orange Lutheran, Pacifica, Palm Springs, Palm Valley Fountain Terrace

Rim of the World, Servite, Sunny Hills, Tarbut v’Torah, Troy, University (Irvine), Balboa
Upland, Woodcrest Christian

Evening Activities 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Nonsense Debate Newport II

Resolved, the Trix Rabbit should be given his cereal.
Moderator: Stuart Baimel, Dos Pueblos

Movie Night Balboa II

Join us all for the movie Head of State, with Chris Rock and Bernie Mac.

Quiz Bowl Fountain Terrace

Think your chapter is the smartest? Prove it at Quiz Bowl. Come and play against other chapters to
prove you are the best.
Led By: Dave Havskjold, Chaminade

Night Activities 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.

Movie Night (cont.) Balboa II

Dance Catalina Ballroom

One cannot get hundreds of high school students together without a dance. Come meet the new
friends you made today!

Curfew 12:15 a.m.

Trust us when we say that EVERY delegate must be in their rooms by this time. Teacher/Advisors
will be patrolling the halls and one can never quite predict their moods at 12:15 a.m.!

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Sunday, November 23
Breakfast & Luggage Storage 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Delegates NEED to be out of their rooms. Anything that you need during the day should not go into
the luggage storage room. If you need to leave early, please store your luggage in your Teacher/
Advisor’s room.

Summer School Breakfast Laguna III

Did you go to JSA summer school, or would you like to find out more about this opportunity?
Come and reminisce, see all your summer school buddies, find out how to start a chapter of JSA,
plan for next summer, or just join us for a cheap and delicious breakfast!

BLOCK VI 9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.

DEBATE: Homosexual Rights Catalina I

Resolved, that the federal government should uphold California’s AB205 concerning homo-
sexual rights.
Bill AB205, recently passed in the California State Assembly, allows homosexual couples who are recognized as domestic partners
most of the rights of married couples, including the rights to order autopsies, donate organs of their partner’s bodies, file state income
taxes jointly, get child support and alimony, and receive health coverage under a partner’s plan.

Pro: Ash Pathi, Buckley

Con: Annie Nozawa, Peninsula
Moderator: Ryan Petersen, Chaminade

DEBATE: North Korea Intervention Newport II

Resolved, that the United States should intervene militarily in North Korea.
The President of North Korea, Kim Jong Il, has announced that they have gone against UN treaties and have developed nuclear
weapons. Should the United States stop this by force or negotiations?

Pro: Jay Yoon, Sunny Hills

Con: Basil Ballard, Buckley
Moderator: Adam Enterrios, Rim of the World

Decade DEBATE: Black Panthers-Civil Rights Movement Newport I

Resolved, that the Black Panthers were detrimental to the Civil Rights Movement.
Founded in 1996 by Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, the Black Panther party was the largest political party which promoted Black
Power in the 1960s. In 1968 FBI Chief J. Edgar Hoover labeled the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense as “the greatest threat to the
internal security of the country [among] violence-prone black extremist groups.”

Pro: Nina Zhang, Whitney

Con: Anthony Wilsher, Servite
Moderator: Alex Wong, Laguna Hills

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Appendix C

THOUGHT TALK: Political Leaders Newport III

Is it ethical to make fun of political leaders?
We’ve all heard it (many of us have done it): making fun of political leaders can be fun! Sometimes it’s the easiest way to express our
own political views, since we are unable to vote. However, some may argue that this only serves to undermine the power of politi-
cians. Is this true? Should mockery of politicians be avoided? Is it immoral, or a valid means of expression?

Moderator: Alanna Lee, Pacifica

PRESIDENTIAL SURVIVOR Fountain Terrace

Come and join us for the JSA version of Survivor, Presidential Style! Become one of your favorite
political figures and find out who can survive it all!

Moderator: Mary Keefner, Connelly

BLOCK VII 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.

DEBATE: California Undocumented Immigrants Fountain Terrace

Resolved, that driver’s licenses not be given to undocumented immigrants.
Controversy has arisen upon Grey Davis’ signing legislation giving undocumented immigrants California drivers licenses, especially
under the circumstances in which he signed the legislation. Many speculate that Davis signed the bill to increase his support in the
recall election, since he had refused to sign the bill twice before while not being recalled.

Pro: Erica Mccauley, West Covina

Con: Rachel Stein, Santa Barbara
Moderator: Tracy Labrusciano, Connelly

DEBATE: “Concealed Carry” law Balboa I

Resolved, that the “Concealed Carry” law be passed in California.
In the Midwest and southern states, guns are accepted as a tool (and sometimes revered) as opposed to populous suburban states
along the coasts where guns are seen largely as a menace. The “Concealed Carry” law would allow individuals to carry guns that are
hidden.

Pro: Dave Havskjold, Chaminade

Con: Cody Weireter, Agoura
Moderator: Jessica Morales, Connelly

Decade DEBATE: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Newport II

Resolved, that the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution should not have been passed.
• The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution were passed by Congress and signed by the President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 7, 1964
a claim that North Vietnamese had sunk a United States ship. The resolution dramatically opened the door to massive
escalation of the Vietnam War.

Pro: Stuart Baimel, Dos Pueblos

Con: Jina Kim, Sunny Hills
Moderator: Mary Keefner, Connelly

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THOUGHT TALK: Everyman Runs for Office Newport III

As is made obvious by California’s current political situation, it is not especially difficult to
run for an important office. Should requirements for candidacy be strengthened?

An action star, a man whose fortune comes from a pornographic magazine, a college student, and many more.
Would you ever expect people with these credentials to run for the office of governor? Should the require-
ments for candidacy for governor be strengthened? If so, in what aspects?

Moderator: Kelly Linskey, Connelly

SPEECH CONTEST Catalina I

JSA is filled with some of the best debaters in the nation. Come to the Speech Contest, where a panel of
judges from the Debate Department will judge two minute speeches for presentation, oration skills, and
coherence. Come be the “Best JSA Speaker” at Fall State.

Moderators: Lyndsay Maier, Tiffany Li

ASSEMBLY MEETING Newport I

Who got the voting age lowered to 18? The Junior State Assembly! All Assembly members come to this
meeting where you can find out how you can change the United States!

Led By: Russell Akiyama, Speaker

BLOCK VIII 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

DEBATE: America’s Foreign Policy Catalina I

Resolved, that America’s foreign policy is driven by its economic interests.
United States intervention in the Middle East prompted the belief that a strong motive for involvement was the United States’
economic interests considering the region’s abundant oil supply. The topic, however, expands beyond whether or not Iraqi intervention
targeted profits for the United States. Rather it questions if indeed United States’ foreign policy in general is directed by the economic
interests of the nation.

Pro: Dhivya Reghunathan, Agoura

Con: Silvia Lu, Upland
Moderator: Spencer French, Chaminade

DEBATE: Pet Owners Balboa I

Resolved, that pet owners should be tried in a criminal court for their pet’s actions.
Although occasional, many people have become victims of violent attacks from pets- usually dogs. Because animals are not expected
to take responsibility for there actions, the question rises of whether pet owners should be exonerated from their pets’ behavior. Does
ownership imply responsibility? Victims of attacks by dogs cannot press charges against the pets, but it has been suggested that they
do so against the pet owners who should be held accountable.

Pro: Stephanie Young, Sunny Hills

Con: Alanna Lee, Pacifica
Moderator: Jennifer Hong, University LA
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Appendix C

Decade DEBATE: “Reaganomics” Fountain Terrace

Resolved, that “Reaganomics” is the best economic policy.
“Reaganomics” was the policy instituted by President Ronald Reagan during the 1980’s focused on lowering taxes for businesses and
fixing the economic problems that had plagued the United States during the 70’s. The primary goal of his “supply-side” economics
(also called “Voodoo Economics”) was to create jobs and lower inflation through giving businesses more money, so that in theory, more
wealth would trickle down to the average United States citizen.

Pro: David Tran, Servite

Con: Brett Jackson, Anacapa
Moderator: Julie Walker, Fountain Valley

THOUGHT TALK: When is war the answer? Newport II

When is war the answer?
This question is especially relevant when one considers the recent war in Iraq. The great amount of disagreement over that conflict, as
well as others in the past, forces us to ask: When is war the answer? Ever? Under what circumstances do you think that declaring war
is a wise option?

Moderator: Angela Chang, Whitney

TEACHER ADVISOR/CHAPTER PRESIDENT FEEDBACK MEETING Newport III

Our goal is to make each convention better than the last. Please come to this meeting to debrief on the
weekend, but most importantly, to give the student leaders that planned this conference feedback so that
Congress and Spring State 2004 will be even better.

Lunch 11:50 a.m. – 1:20 p.m.

This is your last meal at Fall State, so make the best of it and eat a lot!

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Closing Session Catalina Ballroom

Keynote Speaker: Congressman Chris Cox
R - CA

24
The Junior State of America Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

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CHAPTER
PUBLICITY
400 S. El Camino Real, Ste 300
San Mateo, CA 94402
D-1 800-334-5353 800-317-9338
www.jsa.org jsa@jsa.org
Section D
Publicity
Publicity is very important for Junior State
chapters and the entire organization. The mis-
sion of the Junior State of America is to "Make
Democracy Work" by training young people to be
active participants and leaders in a democracy.
JSA can only accomplish this goal if people know
about the organization. A robust publicty cam-
paign will let people in your campus community
know about your chapter and JSA.
Tactics of Publicity
Remember, you are selling JSA. Approach
your buyers (students and community) as a
salesperson. Be aggressive, but always appear
sincere and compassionate.
PA Announcements
Many high schools have public address
systems that allow clubs on campus to make an-
nouncements that are heard by everyone in the
school. If this is the case at your school, take
advantage of this method of publicizing your meet-
ings and activities at every opportunity.
Try to make the announcements with flair.
Capture the students’ attention with announce-
ments regarding something that appeals to them.
After getting the students to listen, you must fol-
low up with easy instructions on how to get in-
volved with JSA. Repeat the location and the time
of the meetings and/or activities at least twice.
Remember, using the P.A. system is a
privilege that is extended to your club. Do not
misuse this opportunity by trying to get student's
attention with sensational or inappropriate an-
nouncements. Although they may sound like a
fun idea at the time, such announcements only
hurt your chapter's reputation with your school ad-
ministration and with students who hold your chap-
ter in high esteem.
D-2
The following pages are guidelines that
your chapter can follow to get the word out about
JSA. In doing so, your chapter will grow and have
an impact on the lives of more people. By reach-
ing out and letting people know about your chap-
ter and its activities, you'll be a part of improving
our society in the years to come.
Here is an example of a PA Announcement:
"Want to get into the fast paced world
of politics? Debate hot issues like
abortion, affirmative action, metal de-
tectors, and so much more? Inter-
ested? Then JSA is the place to be!
That’s right, the Junior State of America
or JSA for short, is holding its mem-
bership drive all this week. Get in-
volved in debates, thought talks, mock
trials, and fun! JSA is not only for po-
litical buffs. It’s here for anyone who
has an open mind and a desire for fun!
So come on down to Room 315 at
lunch with three dollars all this week
to be in JSA. Once again, that’s three
dollars, Room 315 at lunch all this week
to get in on JSA."
Fliers and Posters
Fliers and posters are one of the quickest
and most effective means of publication, if done
correctly. They must: 1) catch people’s interest;
2) be creative and 3) be meticulously accurate.
Set your mind into a mode where you are selling
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

a product, and you need to include whatever it
takes to get the customers to buy. Look through
the advertisements in magazines or newspapers
and emulate those which catch your interest or
seem to be exemplary. Remember, you’ll have
many examples to work with because the high-
paid advertising executives from the magazines
and newspapers know what they’re doing.
press also improves your standing with the school
administration as your chapter becomes a club
that the whole school can be proud of.
Tactics
1) Press releases must catch the editor’s at-
tention. Remember, you are competing with hun-
dreds of press releases they receive.

Tactics: 2) Always state all of the information as con-

1) Keep signs simple. They should include
a catchy phrase and/or picture with the important
information in bold letters.
2) Choose colors that stand out like reds,
blues, purples, and greens. In addition, signs with
bold, black letters on colored paper work extremely
well.
3) Remember, students don’t go around look-
ing for signs. You must catch their attention and
deliver the information while students are rushing
from one class to another. Avoid a sign with too
much to read.
cisely as possible. Your release should not be
dull, but remember, it isn’t a novel.
3) Avoid wordiness at all costs! Keep the
language simple. Of course, you shouldn’t sound
like a second grader, but long sentences and big
words lose the reader’s interest.
4) Press releases must be professional. The
information must be accurate and exact. Writing
one should entail the same amount of proofread-
ing as one of your major essays for English.

4) Again, simplicity is the key. When it comes

to advertisements, only instant gratification will do.
Signs that please the eye and contain clear infor-
mation are the only ones read.

5) Make sure the information is absolutely cor-

rect. Check and double check the dates, times,
price, etc. Your chapter will lose credibility and
frustrate students if they miss an exciting debate
or show up to Spring State a week late.

Press Release:
The press release is a way of informing
the media about important Junior State activities.
They follow a very different format than all other
forms of writing. Without an excellent press re-
lease, communication between you and the reader
will never happen.
Press releases can be used for all types
of chapter activities. Your high school newspa-
per and local, community newspapers are always
looking for stories and events involving high school
students. When your chapter gets good press
coverage, more people are attracted to join. Good
D-3
Step by step instructions:
1) The top of your release should have the
words “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE”.
2) On the top left corner, type the “what, date,
place and time”.
3) On the top right corner, type the contact(s)
name and phone number(s).
4) The first sentence should catch the
reader’s attention. The second sentence should
summarize the “who, what, where, when” and if
pertinent, the “why and how”.
Section D
5) Like a news article, the subsequent infor-
mation should be written with your most impor-
tant facts first and least important facts last.
6) Since the reader most likely will not be fa-
miliar with JSA, tie in some information about the
organization in the release.
7) Never be ambiguous. Do not say, “The
event will take place next Monday.” Be specific
and say, “The event will take place next Monday,
October 29.” In addition, avoid confusing the
reader. The abbreviation “JSA” may be clear to
you, but if you use “JSA” without explaining what it
stands for, you leave the reader wondering.
8) If the press release is more than one page,
type “(more)” at the bottom of every page except
the last one. This ensures that the reader knows
there is more to the press release, especially if
the other page is lost.
9) Do not write “FOR IMMEDIATE RE-
LEASE” on top of the second page.
10) On the bottom of the last page, type three
“###” to indicate the end of the press release.
11) Include directions on how to get to the site.
12) Never staple the pages of the press re-
lease. The pages must be separated in the news-
room, and may get ripped.
13) For newspapers, send the press release
two weeks before the event. For television sta-
tions, send the release one week beforehand. If
you send it earlier than the designated time, the
media will disregard the release since it is too far
in the future. However, if you send the release too
late, all of the space in the paper or TV may al-
ready be filled.
14) While finding the addresses of the news-
papers and TV stations, get the phone numbers
and names of various department heads. You
will need them when you make your phone calls.
D-4
Press Release Follow-Up:
Since some major media outlets receive
hundreds of press releases a week, it is your job
to remind the media and find out whether they will
show up at your event or not. Call the newspa-
pers one week after you send the releases, and
call the TV stations a few days after you send the
releases.
1) First, write out what you will say. Keep it
short but complete. This will help you keep from
mumbling and annoying the listener. Be sure you
first ask for the correct department, e.g., educa-
tion editor or political editor.
Example: “Hi, may I speak to the education edi-
tor? I’m from the Washington High School Junior
State of America Chapter. We sent a press re-
lease a week ago, and would like to know if you
will cover our candidate forum on Saturday, Oc-
tober 29.”
2) They will either give you a yes or no an-
swer. Whether they plan on attending or not, ask
them to publish your announcement of the event.
Sometimes they may ask you to send another
press release. This is when a fax machine comes
in handy. If they request another press release,
fax one as soon as possible, and make a follow-
up call the next day.
3) Offer any additional information on direc-
tions, JSA itself, etc. Make sure you know what
you’re talking about! If you don’t know the answer
to something, be honest and tell the person that
you will get back to him/her with the exact infor-
mation.
4) Most importantly, be polite and always
thank them.
Don’t be discouraged if the media doesn’t
show up at your event. There are many variables
which affect whether they show up or not. A
major news story or an unexpected event may
suddenly surface at the same time as your event.
Keep sending press releases for your events,
when there is a slow news day, your persistence
may pay off.
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference
Preparation for the media at the event:
1) Designate one person (yourself?) to be
host for the media.
2) Prepare any information, brochures, and
handouts about JSA and the event to help the
media construct the story.
3) Upon their arrival, greet the media person-
nel and make them feel comfortable.
4) After they sign in, show them around to
the different activities at the event while answer-
ing any questions or supplying information of your
own.
5) As they leave, offer them any additional
information. Then, thank them for coming and
finish it off with a warm handshake.
6) After the event, send them a thank you let-
ter immediately. This will make them feel wel-
come to any other JSA activities in the future.
7) Now it is your job to keep your eyes pealed
and see whether the event gets coverage or not.
Public Service Announcements
Public Service Announcements are short
"advertisements" sent to radio stations for airing.
Most stations have some sort of “Community Cal-
endar” program to air these ads.
Below are excerpts from the annual re-
port of the Southern California Broadcasters As-
sociation, Inc. regarding public service announce-
ments.
1) Writing for broadcast is salesmanship.
You can’t sell unless you’re completely informed
about your “product” or event.
2) Did you grab the reader’s interest in the
first few seconds?
3) Did the announcement deliver the main
idea quickly? Clearly? Completely? Often enough
to stick in the mind?
4) Did you register the key facts about your
project or our organization strongly? Did you
D-5
mention the name at least twice in the spot?
5) Is the information specific enough to get
your idea across?
6) Does your announcement maintain inter-
est from beginning to end?
The most important thing to remember
when you are writing a radio spot is that your mes-
sage must be clear and concise. You want to
inform the listener in clear, simple language, “what,
when where, why and who” in twenty to thirty sec-
onds.
Along with your public service announce-
ment, always be sure to include literature about
the Junior State (you can get it from the JSA of-
fice) with a letter to the program director explain-
ing your event and how you would like to have
your message read as a public service announce-
ment.
Sample Public Service Announcement
30-second Announcement
Are you a high school student inter-
ested in government and contemporary
issues? The Junior State offers all high
school students both exciting debates
on current issues and lively question
and answer sessions with leading po-
litical figures. Through the Junior
State programs, high school students
are able to better understand the com-
plex problems that face us today. If
you’re interested, or just have ques-
tions, please call the Junior State of
America, 1-800-334-5353.
Note: In addition to radio spots, radio talk
shows are an easy way to plug JSA. Whenever a
radio topic about youth or politics comes up on
stations, call in and advertise JSA. But be sure
that you don’t obviously sound like you’re adver-
tising JSA. Anyone can do this, and there’s noth-
ing like the rush of being on the radio. Try it.
Section D
Tactics
1) Your job is to overcome the listener or
viewer’s apathy. Create interest in your story and
motive the listener to do something.
2) Determine the objective of the total campaign.
In other words, what is the specific goal of the
public service announcements?
3) List all pertinent facts to be included in or-
der of importance.
4) Decide on the single most important thing
you want to say.
5) Think of how you would say your radio
announcement face-to-face to one person. Then
write it that way.
The following list of suggestions was pre-
pared by radio stations. Strict adherence will en-
courage use of your material.
10-second spot has approximately 20 words.
20-second spot has approximately 50 words.
30-second spot has approximately 75 words.
1) Use 8 1/2x11 white paper only. The copy
must be clear and easy-to-read.
2) Use upper and lower case typing. Double
space.
3) Punctuate simply for ease in reading as in
any written article. Do not hyphenate at the end
of a line. Do not separate sentences with a se-
ries of dots. Use no abbreviations.
4) Do not staple the pages together because
parts of the pages may be torn if separated.
5) Do not mention prizes to be given away or
drawings of any kind (if any) in the radio spot.
6) The stop date (last day the announcement
will be aired) on the radio spot copy must be the
day before the dated event.
After you write your announcement, read
it aloud. How does it sound? It should sound
natural and believable. It shouldn’t sound as if it is
being read.
D-6
Closing Thoughts
The aspects of publicity may seem over-
whelming at first, but take it one day at a time. Be
sure to have good organization and motivation,
because it will get you through even the thickest
of times. No matter what the end result may be,
your contributions to JSA will be felt, and not only
at the present. Each diligent step you make will
help the future generations of JSA make their first
one. With that, I’d like to leave you with the Basic
B’s of Publicity.
Basic B’s of Publicity
1) BE quick to establish personal contacts
with the right persons at each newspaper, radio
and television station in your area.
2) BE sure to write everything down, and to
inform a State publicity cabinet member of what
you are doing. Send him/her a copy of all news
releases.
3) BE prompt in meeting every deadline.
4) BE legible. Type news releases.
5) BE accurate. Double check dates,
names, and place before you submit your copy.
6) BE honest and impartial. Give credit
where it is due.
7) BE brief. Newspaper space and air time
are costly.
8) BE brave. Don’t be afraid to go after your
goals and try new projects.
9) BE appreciative of all the space and time
given to the Junior State for publicity.
10) BE professional. Members of the press
are always invited as guests. Never ask them to
buy tickets or pay admission.
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

Chapter Publicity Quick Tips

Top-notch publicity is, by no means, a one-person job. Notable results require planning, prepa-
ration, execution of the plans, and post-event duties. You, as the president, must choose diligent
members to bring your chapter the publicity it needs.

1) Choose a publicity director and student photographer.

2) Choose an historian to collect a printed and pictorial record of the chapter’s JSA activities
into a scrapbook. These scrapbooks can serve as models for future chapter presidents and
mark JSA’s history in your school. (Believe me, looking at old JSA scrapbooks is a riot!) In
addition, your scrapbook will be the basis of your club for the Prof. Rogers Award presented
at Spring State to the most outstanding chapter in each state.

3) Contribute to your regional and state Junior State publications. (You may want to set up a
newsletter. The staff can produce your chapter’s newsletter and/or be continually contri-
buting to regional and state JSA publications.)

4) Utilize the school newspaper. Try to recruit newspaper staff members into your chapter.

5) Use the school public address system and daily bulletin.

6) Make classroom announcements or ask teachers to make an announcement of your up-

coming events.

7) Display press clippings, Junior State brochures, posters, pictures, etc., on school bulletin
boards and buildings.

8) Visit or write the editor of your local paper. Tell him/her about the Junior State, and then
send press releases for major chapter, regional and state events. Address them to the editor
personally.

9) Visit or write the managers and staff of local radio and TV stations. Familiarize them with
the Junior State. Offer to provide chapter members as participants in any upcoming
programs on youth issues.

10) Do not hesitate to call upon the Junior State office for additional information or assistance
in your publicity program.

Above all else, never get discouraged! If you put in your best effort, your voice will be heard.

D-7
Section D

D-8
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference
The Junior State of America

CHAPTER
FUNDRAISING
400 S. El Camino Real, Ste 300
San Mateo, CA 94402
D-9 800-334-5353 800-317-9338
www.jsa.org jsa@jsa.org
Section D
Fundraising
With convention and transportation costs,
JSA may seem like quite an expensive (although
arguably wonderful) experience. This can be eas-
ily remedied if your chapter is spirited and not afraid
to work hard to fund raise.
Fundraising Ideas
The methods by which you can raise funds are
endless. Here are some to get you started:
Sell food during a school break. We all know
that school cafeteria food is barely edible. If you
sell food either during lunch or a mid-morning
break, you’re almost guaranteed to make a really
solid profit (as long as you don’t buy too much
extra). Start slowly. Buy a little the first time you
sell food to see if it sells out or not. Then gradu-
ally increase to see how much is the ideal amount
to buy. Some food sale ideas are: donuts, bread
sticks (from a pizza store), frozen yogurt, beef
bowls, and soft drinks. Simply contact a chain
store and tell them that you would like to hold a
fund raiser at your school for JSA. They will most
likely give you a special price for buying in bulk;
you then charge about $1 more than you paid for
the item. Selling food is one of the easiest fund
raisers available. You will need to pay up front for
it, though, and someone will probably have to miss
part of the school day to pick it up. (Some places,
such as Pizza Hut, will deliver it.) This fund raiser
is perfect for all chapters, regardless of size, as
long as the chapter treasurer is organized, there
are sufficient chapter members who want to help
sell, and the school allows food sales.
Sell candy during the school day. You can ei-
ther do this by contacting the fund raising depart-
ment of a candy company or by purchasing the
candy yourself. Buy the candy in bulk at a dis-
count store (such as Price Club) and separate it
into clear bags (if the customers can’t see what
you’re selling, they won’t buy it). Be sure to buy a
good variety of candy (from all different kinds of
chocolate bars to Gummy Bears) to ensure that
buyers will find whatever they want. Make sure
that all the kinds of candy you buy are approxi-
mately the same price per unit. You will sell them
all for the same price, and some types of candy
are more expensive than others. A bag of candy
D-10
worth $10 will probably earn a profit of $5. This
profit can be handled in one of two ways: 1) The
chapter can absorb it and put it toward paying for
chapter expenses (such as transportation); 2) the
chapter can deduct the money raised by each
member from that individual member’s conven-
tion cost (this motivates people to sell, because
in a sense, they get to keep the money they earn.
If a member sells ten bags, he/she has raised the
funds for nearly all of his/her Fall State fee!). It is
imperative that you have chapter members sign
up whenever they take a bag of candy. It is rec-
ommended that you make them turn in the money
they earned before they pick up another bag, be-
cause you might never see the money again. Be
aware also that some teachers do not allow candy
to be sold in their classes. Tell chapter members
to use discretion.
Sell chapter JSA T-shirts or sweatshirts. Find
a store (look in the phone book and call around to
get bids) that will print them inexpensively. Have
someone (you might hold a chapter contest) cre-
ate a design. Then, take pre-orders from chapter
members so that you will not order too many, and
sell the T-shirts for about $10 and the sweatshirts
for about $25. You will make approximately $5
profit on each. You might also include this T-shirt
or sweatshirt as part of the dues that members
pay to join JSA (add $10 or $25 to the national JSA
dues); your members will feel as if they are get-
ting a complete package, and more people will
join the club. This is suitable for large chapters
only.
Hold a raffle. Write letters to local businesses
stating the nature of JSA, and ask them to donate
items for your raffle. Sell tickets for a couple of
dollars each, and make sure that the prizes are
good enough that they will compel people to buy
tickets. Never buy the items you will raffle, be-
cause you will lose money. This is suitable for
medium-sized or large chapters.
Sell chapter scrapbooks. If you plan to do this,
you should have a photographer at all of your chap-
ter events. Then, have your chapter officers get
together toward the end of the year and design
the scrapbook. Be as creative as possible, and
be sure to include the pictures of every single
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference
member (or else they won’t buy it). You can ei-
ther get it printed professionally (this works best if
you have a large chapter, and remember to call
around to get bids), or you can photocopy it your-
self. Sell it for a few dollars more than you spent
on it. Take pre-orders, or else you might end up
with a lot of extra scrapbooks. This is an activity
that is designed more as a service to your chap-
ter than as a lucrative money-maker. This is suit-
able for medium-sized or larger chapters.
Have a car wash. Be sure to get volunteers, then
threaten to hurt them (just kidding) if they don’t
show up. Seriously, though, unless you have dedi-
cated chapter members, you will most likely end
up washing all of the cars yourself. Be sure to
find a parking lot or gas station in the middle of a
busy intersection where you can have the car
wash. Then have volunteers hold up signs on the
sidewalk, to attract dirty cars. A catchy slogan is:
“Topless car wash!” (The bottom is free, but they
have to pay to get the top of their car washed.) If
you have chapter members bring soap, rags and
hoses, and if the gas station supplies the water,
then you will make a pure profit. Car washes are
a lot of fun as well. This fund raiser is perfect for
all chapters, regardless of size.
Have a mini-conference. This requires a lot of
work (coming up with activities, signing up debat-
ers, etc.), but can potentially make a lot of money.
If your school does not charge you for the use of
classrooms, then your only cost is the printing of
agendas; you will make a nearly pure profit.
Please refer to another section of this handbook
for more information on how to run a mini-confer-
ence. This fund raiser is suitable for a chapter
that has a lot of strong
leaders that have at-
tended other mini-
conferences.
Hold a garage
sale. You can
get rid of your
chapter’s junk and
make money at the
same time. This fund
raiser has the potential
to raise a lot of money as
long as you ensure that
D-11
there will be a plethora of quality items to sell, and
that the garage sale is well-organized. Announce
the activity about a month in advance at a chapter
meeting, so that members have time to dig through
their junk. Be sure to have a sign-up sheet through-
out the month at chapter meetings, and remind
members to sign up for what they want to bring. If
you do not have an adequate list of items to sell, it
is wise to not have the garage sale at all, for it will
probably be more trouble than it’s worth. This is
perfect for all chapters, regardless of size; the de-
termining factors in whether it will work or not are
the number of items for sale and the amount of
publicity.
Send holiday grams. This can be done for
Valentine’s Day (which would include a card and
a flower), Easter (chocolate eggs), and just about
any other holiday you can think of. There are com-
panies who have professionally printed cards, bal-
loons, candy, and/or flowers for every occasion.
Ask your student council for a list of companies.
Then charge $1 more than it costs you to buy
these grams from the companies (some want you
to pay up front; others don’t). Allow a week for
students to order these grams for their classmates
(make sure someone has a table set up every
day of the week), then deliver them during class
one day (this aspect of an in-class surprise makes
these holiday grams very popular). The senders
should be given adequate space on the cards to
write a message to their friends. Remember,
however, that you will usually make more money
if you do not go through a professional company.
Doing it yourself (designing your own card, wrap-
ping your own flowers, etc.) may take more effort,
but it will be a more lucrative fund raiser. This is
suitable for all chapters, regardless of
size.
Attend the taping of a show.
Shows such as Jeopardy
and Family Feud need
an audience,
and will pay
for people to
attend (ap-
proxi-
mately
$200 for 30
people).
Most shows
Section D
will send a bus to pick your chapter up. You need
to contact the entertainment agency that sets up
audiences for shows in the area. Most likely, your
student council will have their number, since these
companies send flyers to most schools. Have a
sign-up sheet before you contact the agency,
though, because most agencies will expect you
to know how many people you can bring (and you
better deliver!). This is best for large chapters if
you plan to make money. It works well as a social
activity for smaller chapters.
Sell key chains or license plate frames. The
attraction of these sales is that your classmates
can personalize their own messages. You will
have to contact a company that specializes in
doing this (ask your student council for a phone
number, or look in the phone book). This is per-
fect for all chapters, for you will market to the en-
tire school.
Have a party! JSA too often has the image that it
only holds boring debates. Parties are fun social
events that not only help dispel this nasty rumor
but also serve as fund raisers. The important thing
about holding a party is that you need to publicize,
publicize, publicize! That way, people other than
chapter members will attend, and you will attract
more people to JSA. You can either hold the part
at someone’s house, or you can rent a banquet
hall. If you plan to do the former, you can have
chapter members either donate food and supplies,
or you can have them save their receipts, and you
can reimburse them later. Charge a $6.00 or $7.00
entrance fee, and play music and games. Some
game ideas are:
• Twister (it’s cheesy, but hilarious)
• Icebreakers
• Dating Game: Stick onto the backs of everyone
the name of someone who was part of a famous
couple (Ex: Sonny, Cher; Hillary Clinton, Bill
Clinton; Romeo, Juliet). The objective of the game
is to figure out who you are (by asking yes or no
questions to your friends such as: “Am I a politi-
cal figure?” “Am I presently alive?” “Am I Hillary?”)
and to find your better half by asking yes or no
questions about the identities of others.
If you are holding a party at a banquet hall,
first contact a hall (hotels, gyms, and convention
D-12
centers are good spots). They will usually have
different packages that include catering and differ
according to how many people are attending and
how much you want to spend. The hardest part
of organizing a banquet is estimating how many
tickets you can sell (and therefore what your bud-
get is). It is wise to pre-sell the tickets before you
pay for the room and the catering (this is not al-
ways easy, though, because a lot of people will
pay at the door). Remember that it is best to re-
serve too little space and food than too much. Try
to be conservative with your estimates, or your
chapter could lose a lot of money. Also, be sure
to inquire about the facilities available (you may
want a dance floor, for example). If you want a
D.J. or a professional photographer, ask your stu-
dent council for some contacts. Then call around
for bids for the D.J. The photographer will not
usually charge for coming to an event; he/she just
reaps the profit made on the pictures. Make sure
that the program for the evening will attract people
to attend, as well. Award/end-of-the year banquets
are a good idea, because chapter members will
want to see who receives the “Best Statesperson
Award,” or the “Most Flirtatious Award.” They will
also get to see the induction of their new chapter
officers and thank their teacher advisor for all of
his/her hard work throughout the year. For such
a big undertaking as a banquet, a committee
should be formed to organize it. This house party
is suitable for all chapters. The banquet is suit-
able for larger chapters who have either a chap-
ter member who is experienced in planning par-
ties or a teacher advisor who is willing to help.
Planning Ahead
One of the most crucial parts of fund rais-
ing is to plan ahead. The chapter treasurer should
know months in advance of any event (i.e. Spring
State, Congress, etc.), how much each student
will need to pay to attend, and if the chapter will
incur any additional costs while sending its del-
egation (i.e. a bus to transport students to a dis-
tant convention may cost over $300, a teacher
advisor who wants a private room, etc.). Fund
raisers need to be planned and timed so that this
does not occur the week of an event: “Oh my
gosh! We need $300 to charter a bus! We only
have $5 in the account...”
Also, keep in mind that the amount of
money your chapter needs will change as more
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

students sign up to attend a convention. For ex-
ample, a chapter sending five students to Con-
gress will only need one teacher advisor, and will
most likely be able to find someone to drive them
to the conference. A delegation of 35 people, how-
ever, will most likely need a bus. It may also have
to pay for the rooms of extra teacher advisors if
their school mandates that more chapter advisors
attend than the Junior State will pay for (which is
one per 19 students).
Getting Organized
Now that you have planned ahead and
determined how much money you will need and
when, the next step to successful fund raising is
to effectively organize the event. First, you will
need to obtain permission (either from the admin-
istration or the student council) by submitting the
necessary forms. Be prepared to tell the people
in charge what item/service your chapter plans to
sell, what the money is needed for, and when you
would like to hold the fund raiser (many schools
have an activities calendar to ensure that clubs
are not selling competitive items at the same time).
It is wise to request permission for your
fund raiser at least a month before your chapter
will need the money. This is for two reasons: One,
the administration/student council may not ap-
prove your request (you may have wanted to have
a fund raiser the night of the prom), and you may
need the time to plan something different; two,
you never know if the fund raiser you planned will
make the money you anticipated. For example, a
garage sale may be rained on, so there must be
sufficient time to hold another event before the
money is needed. Remember, procrastination is
deadly when it comes to fund raising.
will need to borrow the money from parents. But
be sure to pay them back!
Now that you have requested permission
to hold your fund raiser and have the funds to fi-
nance it, you will need to find chapter members
who are willing to facilitate the event. Make sure
to announce the fund raiser at least a week in
advance at a chapter meeting, and have a sign-
up sheet for all those who are willing to help. Then
(and this part is crucial), call these people and
make sure they know exactly what their duties are
and when they need to be done. Many fund rais-
ers have failed because volunteers thought it was
scheduled for another day or were misinformed
of their task (and therefore, no one picked up what
you were planning to sell). In addition, if any of
your volunteers need a campus pass (to pick up
a perishable item or to set up during school time),
be sure to arrange this with your teacher advisor.
Next, your fund raiser needs to be well
publicized for it to be successful. Utilize flyers
(black ink on brightly colored paper works the best)
and bulletin announcements (make sure they are
catchy, brief, and are repeated often). For more
information, please refer to the publicity section
of this chapter binder.
Finally, cross your fingers and have fun!
The bucks will roll in soon...

Do you remember the cliche, “It takes

money to make money?" Well, this is especially
true of fund raising; although, there are some ex-
ceptions when the items to be sold are donated,
such as garage and bake sales. You will need to
remove money from your account (which, if you
have a school account instead of a private ac-
count, can take up to two weeks) to buy the item
you plan to sell. Most companies, such as a pizza
store or doughnut shop need the money up front,
not after the fund raiser is complete. If your chap-
ter does not have the money to pay up front, you
D-13
Section D

"Money doesn't grow on trees."

Quick Tips for

Successful Fund Raising
1. Determine how much money your chapter will need and when.

2. Obtain permission to hold the fund raiser from the administration/student council.

3. Make sure you have the money needed to initially finance the fund raiser (to buy the prod-
uct you’re selling, etc.)

4. Recruit volunteers to help fund raise (have a sign-up sheet).

5. Call the volunteers to ensure that they know exactly what they are assigned to do and when.

6. Arrange any school or off-campus passes needed with your teacher-advisor.

7. Publicize with flyers, announcements, etc.

8. Have fun!

D-14
 The Junior State of America
Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

MEMBERSHIP
DRIVE
GUIDE

400 S. El Camino Real, Ste 300

San Mateo, CA 94402
D-15 800-334-5353 800-317-9338
www.jsa.org jsa@jsa.org
Section D
Membership Drive
The beginning of a new semester is the perfect
time to hold a JSA Membership Drive at your
school. Follow the steps outlined in this sec-
tion of the binder, and you can turn your chap-
ter into a JSA powerhouse! Here is your chance
to bring new blood into your chapter and give
it new life. If you are trying to increase your
membership or if you are just trying to get your
chapter off the ground, this packet will help
you.
The key to a successful Membership Drive is a
series of two or three meetings designed to at-
tract and hook new members. This section give
syou a strategy for planning the meetings, pub-
licity ideas, and activities to hold at the meet-
ings. You can also refer to the section on Chap-
ter Meeting Activities for more ideas.
Step One: Planning the Membership Drive
In order to be successful, your membership drive
must be well thought out. Invite all key chap-
ter officers and leaders to a meeting for the sole
purpose of planning the membership drive. A
successful membership drive takes a lot of work,
so be sure to include chapter members who do
not hold an elected office — all hands on deck
for this project!
Set Your Plan of Attack.
Go through the methods listed in this brochure
for publicizing and organizing your New Mem-
bers Meetings. Decide which ones you want to
do and which will be most effective on your
campus. Brainstorm other ideas that will work
at your school. Remember, the more you do to
publicize these meetings, the more members
you will attract.
Delegate Responsibility.
Now that you have decided what you want to
do, delegate tasks and responsibilities to other
chapter leaders. Decide who will make post-
ers, hang posters, deliver invitations, etc. Make
a time line or calendar of when each of the tasks
will get done. Most importantly, DO NOT DE-
LAY. Get things done as soon as possible.
Things that are done at the last minute are of-
ten futile.
D-16
Set The Dates of The Meetings.
Set the dates for your New Members Meetings.
Be sure to choose days that do not conflict with
other school activities. Depending on how you
decide to publicize, you should give yourself
one to two weeks before the first big meeting.
The next meeting should be the following week
to capitalize on the momentum.
Decide On An Agenda.
Set the agendas for your meetings. Use the ideas
in this brochure as a starting point for planning
super activities to hold at your first and second
New Members Meetings.
Step Two.
PUBLICIZE! PUBLICIZE! PUBLICIZE!
There is nothing more important to your mem-
bership drive than publicity. You should con-
centrate most of your efforts on marketing JSA
to your entire school.
Posters.
Cover your school with tons of posters. The
posters should be aimed at getting new mem-
bers. Be creative. Some ideas: “JSA IS FOR YOU
— JOIN! JOIN! JOIN!” OR “FEBRUARY IS JSA NEW
MEMBER MONTH, COME CHECK IT OUT!” You
can probably come up with slogans as good as
these — probably even better than these! Re-
member to get the point across in every poster
that you want new members to come join. Be
sure to include the time, date and place of your
New Members Meeting. Make sure your post-
ers meet school regulations. Don’t forget that
the Uncle Sam — “We Want You for JSA” post-
ers are available from the Junior State office by
calling 1-800-334-5353.
Hand Out Invitations.
This idea has worked very successfully at many
chapters. If gives people a more personal feel
for the club and usually gets great results. Check
out the sample invitation in this packet. You
can go through the yearbook to pick out people
who would make a great addition to your JSA
chapter. Think about what your membership is
lacking — if most of your members are liberal,
invite some noted campus conservatives to join.
Are there good debaters at your school who
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

have not joined JSA yet? What about people
involved in your student body government or
your school’s newspaper? You can never have
enough underclassmen members: they are your
chapter’s future. Also, ask yourself if your chap-
ter is representative of the entire school. It is
important to get people from all walks of life
involved in JSA because it makes for better de-
bates and discussions. It furthers JSA’s goal of
preparing your generation to be active citizens
— our democracy works best when everyone
participates. Make sure you reach outside of
your circle of friends for new members. Once
you have decided who should get a personal
invitation, have the invitations sent to them in
their classes or hand deliver them yourself.

YOU ARE INVITED . . .

Dear Student Leader:

You have been recognized as a school leader. I would like to cordially invite you to join the
best club on campus . . . The Junior State of America. JSA is an organization that gives students
like you and me an opportunity to express our views on issues that are important to us like abortion, the
death penalty, and student rights. You don’t need to be a great debater or public speaker to join, you just
need to be interested in the world around you and the issues that effect our lives.

In addition to its educational value, JSA is a great place to meet other interesting high
school students and make great friends. Please come to our NEW MEMBERS MEETING
on Wednesday, February 15 at lunch in Room 60.

JSA is a club with a purpose. To Make Democracy Work by preparing high school
students to be active, involved citizens. Be a part of a new generation of politically aware citizens that
are ready and willing to make a difference. Join JSA!

I look forward to seeing you at our meeting. Please call me if you have any questions. My
number is 619-555-1234.

Jennifer Ann Sorenson

JSA Chapter President

Sample Invitation

D-17
Section D
Visit Classes.
Have chapter leaders who would be good rep-
resentatives of JSA visit classes to invite students
to join. Social Studies, Journalism, Government/
Civics, and Current Events classes are probably
the best place to start. Your Teacher/Advisor
should be able to tell you whom you should
approach. Send teachers a note asking them if
you could take a couple of minutes of their class
time to introduce students to the schools po-
litical awareness club. After you have sent the
note, go to the teachers and ask them for the
best time to visit. When you visit, be prepared,
excited and to the point. Describe JSA and give
the class the information about your meeting.
Refer to the “JSA Talking Points” in this packet
for things to say when describing JSA.
Talk to Teachers, Parents, and Administrators.
Even though JSA is a student-run organization,
your chapter will be stronger if it has the posi-
tive support of teachers, parents, and adminis-
trators at your school. Again, your Teacher/Ad-
visor can be invaluable in this part of your pub-
licity plan. Teachers and administrators can be
especially effective in pointing politically aware
or politically curious students to your JSA chap-
ter. And, of course, supportive parents are al-
ways important when it comes time to ask for
that convention registration check. Ask your
school’s Social Studies Department Chair if you
can make a brief presentation about JSA at the
next Social Studies Department meeting. If you
haven’t already, make an appointment with the
administrator at your school who is in charge
of all of the clubs and activities on campus; tell
them you just want to acquaint them with the
goals and activities of JSA. Also, see if you can
make a brief presentation at the next PTA or
PTSA meeting for your school — you will be
surprised just how supportive parents can be
once they know about the organization. Again,
if you need help describing JSA to any of these
people or groups, refer to “JSA Talking Points”
in this packet.
Make a Flier.
Making your own personalized flier can be very
effective. The flier should stress that the chap-
ter wants new members and now is the time to
join. Don’t forget to include your meeting in-
D-18
formation. You should highlight both the educa-
tional and social aspects of JSA. Other things to
include are the chapter president’s phone num-
ber and upcoming chapter and state events. Take
a look at the sample flier included in this packet
for ideas. If you don’t have the resources to make
your own flier you can photocopy the standard
“What is JSA” flier enclosed in this packet. You
can also call the Junior State office to get more
copies of this flier sent to you.
Announcements.
Put announcements in your school bulletin and
have them repeated as often as possible. Don’t
forget to emphasize that the meetings are
geared toward new members and that every-
one is welcome even if they have never been to
a JSA meeting before. If you decide to have
refreshments at any of your meetings, be sure
to include this in the announcements — food
is a major draw!
Hold a “Bring In A New Member” Contest.
Your present members are a great resource.
Hold a competition to see which member can
bring in the most new members. Advertise a
prize for the winner, it could be something cool
like $15 off Spring State, or something fun and
cheesy like a pack of M&M’s. Getting the rest
of your membership involved will help make
your membership drive successful.
Step Three. Hold THE BIG MEETING.
This is the vital part of your membership drive.
You have got to hold a meeting that will pay
off for all of your hard publicity work. This
meeting has got to keep your new members
coming back for more. Pulling off a successful
meeting will take preparation. Don’t blow it
off. Your first impression is vital.
Agenda.
The agenda you set for this meeting is up to
you. There are a number of things you can do
that will work. Decide on what will work best
for your school. This is a sample agenda for the
first meeting that works well in most situations.
If you need more help in setting up the meet-
ing, contact your state or regional officers.
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

JUNIOR STATE OF AMERICA

JOIN
JSA
TODAY
The Washington High School
Chapter of JSA is having a mem-
bership drive, and we want you
to join. JSA is a student-run, po-
litical awareness club that fights
student apathy. Our chapter has
debates and discussions that give
you a chance to speak out on the
issues that effect us. You can
sit back and listen and learn or
get up and let everyone know
your opinion.

Come to our NEW

MEMBERS MEETINGS:
Wednesday, February 16 at Lunch in Room 60. Discussion topic:

Banning Gang Clothing On Campus

Safety Measure or Violation of our Rights?
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED!

Wednesday, February 23 at Lunch in Room 60

Debate on the Death Penalty.

Questions: Call Crystal Frierson, Chapter President at 619-555-1234

Sample Flyer
D-19
Section D
I. Give a brief, well prepared overview of JSA.
Explain our ideology of student-run, nonparti-
san political involvement. Let your new mem-
bers know that their views are welcome. Give a
good description of JSA activities, but don’t get
bogged down with debate procedure or the pro-
cess of registering for a convention. Refer to
the “JSA Talking Points” for help. Do your best
to give them a feel for the organization. If you
have the time and a VCR, you might want to
show the JSA Promotional Video Tape — avail-
able for loan or purchase from The Junior State
Office. You might want to distribute brochures
for upcoming JSA events. Don’t forget to relate
to them your own personal reasons for being
involved in JSA — personal testimony can be
very effective.
II. Announce that in order to join, they must
pay JSA taxes. Hold up the form and tell them
they can pay today or at upcoming meetings.
Make sure to get everyone’s name, address, and
phone number, even if they don’t pay taxes right
away. Make sure you contact them about fu-
ture meetings.
III. After your introduction, hold a thought talk
on a timely or hot topic. Thought talks are a
good introductory activity for new members
because they encourage involvement by the
entire group but are not very intimidating. Use
a topic that everyone has an opinion on like
abortion, the death penalty, drug legalization,
or racism. Have someone do research on the
topic and start off the conversation by present-
D-20
ing information on both sides. Have articles to
pass out to those who want them. Make sure
that you ask some current chapter members to
be ready to stir up the conversation if it starts to
slow down.
IV. Wrap up the meeting by serving refresh-
ments and make sure to announce when the
next meeting will be. It is important that every-
one leave knowing how to get involved and
when and where the next activity will be. Your
chapter leaders should be instructed to mingle
with the new members to make everyone feel
welcome and to answer any questions.
The Second Meeting.
Part of the first meeting was taken up with in-
formational stuff. Use the second meeting to
show just how exciting JSA can be. Have a chap-
ter debate on a hot topic — make sure the par-
ticipants are prepared and that the moderator
explains the format to the new members (a
handout with information on the topic and the
debate rules can be very helpful). You might
want to invite a guest speaker - a school board
member or city council person. Some chapters
have had very exciting debates where teachers
were the debaters — either teacher vs. teacher
or teacher vs JSA member. The choice is yours,
just remember to be prepared. Remember not
to bore your chapter with details that the chap-
ter leadership can handle at a separate meet-
ing. Don’t forget to announce your next meet-
ing and any upcoming JSA activities.
.
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

JSA Talking Points

JSA is a student-run, non-partisan, non-profit political awareness club. Students run the chapter
meetings, decide on debate topics, organize every aspect of the chapter.

JSA gives students an opportunity to voice their opinions on local, state, national, and world
issues. The free exchange of ideas and views is a highlight of all JSA activities.

JSA is a club with a purpose. JSA strives “To Make Democracy Work” by preparing high school
students to be active, involved citizens.

JSA is more than just a debate club. JSA encourages political awareness and involvement through
its debates and other activities.

JSA gives students valuable “citizenship training” by letting students run their own government.
JSA’s National, State, Regional, and Chapter governments reinforce democratic principles and
prepares students to be informed, active citizens.

JSA chapters conduct a wide range of political awareness activities: informal discussions, struc-
tured debates, educational simulations, challenging mock trails, informative political guest speakers,
and voter registration drives are only a few of the activities chapters hold.

JSA chapters are the center of political awareness on high school campuses across the country.
Being part of JSA is a chance to meet and make friends with other bright, involved students who
are aware of what is happening in the world around them.

JSA holds Saturday conferences and overnight conventions that allow students from many differ-
ent high schools a chance to debate and discuss important issues. JSA events feature exciting
activities, interesting political keynote speakers, and great social activities.

JSA provides a valuable opportunity for students to develop or sharpen public speaking skills.
Public speaking is a major emphasis of JSA. Our debates and discussions help students develop
the ability to verbally express their thoughts and opinions in a clear and persuasive manner.

JSA gives students a chance to develop important leadership skills. As a student-run organization,
JSA helps its leaders develop leadership skills such as organizing meetings, delegating responsi-
bility, and motivating their peers.

JSA helps to develop critical thinking skills. JSA members challenge each other’s assumptions
about the issues that affect their lives. This forces students to reevaluate their positions and de-
velop more sophisticated arguments to support their beliefs or to change their position altogether.

JSA encourages “PEER TO PEER” education. Students are in charge of their own educational
activities. Students learn best when they learn from each other.

A strong, active JSA Chapter is an asset for any high school campus. JSA is a valuable supplement
to a high school’s social studies curriculum. Our American democracy depends on an education
system that prepares young people to take on the responsibilities of citizenship.

D-21
Section D

D-22
 The Junior State of America
Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

PLANNING A
CHAPTER
CONFERENCE

400 S. El Camino Real, Ste 300

San Mateo, CA 94402
D-23 800-334-5353 800-317-9338
www.jsa.org jsa@jsa.org
Section D
Running a Chapter Conference
The chapter conference is possibly the
greatest activity a chapter can hold. Chapter
conferences (also known as mini-conferences)
promote expansion within your school as well
as within neighboring chapters. Since these con-
ferences are usually small and informal, every-
one has the opportunity to take part in the de-
bates without the pressure of a large state con-
vention. Chapter conferences, no matter how
small, are invaluable because they improve the
chapter in size, strength and experience. This
section is designed to help you run a successful
and enjoyable chapter conference.
Phase One: Initial Preparations
Location & Time
Finding a location is your first priority. If
you do not have a location at which to hold the
conference, you cannot hold the conference!
Your school is probably the best place to hold a
conference. Usually, school administrations en-
courage chapter conferences. In addition,
schools generally do not make you pay to use
their facilities (although some may charge a small
fee for janitorial services) and schools have all
the facilities you need: audio-visual equipment,
large and small rooms for debates and activi-
ties, ample parking and even places to hold so-
cial events. Keep the cost of the location down
so that the conference costs stay low.
When making arrangements for a site,
you also must decide what date you want to
hold the conference. Usually there is more than
one chapter in your area planning to hold a
chapter conference. If both conferences fall on
the same day, the attendance at both is cut and
many people who would have attended both
can only attend one. To avoid this, many states
and regions in the Junior State have appointed
a cabinet member to help schedule all chapter
conferences and avoid conflicting dates. Before
scheduling your chapter conference, you should
talk to this person and find out what dates are
available. Never hold a conference on a date
that the chapter conference coordinator has al-
D-24
One of the things to remember in plan-
ning a chapter conference is that they are not
usually designed to be enormous. They are
“mini-conferences” as they are frequently called.
If you go in expecting a huge attendance, you
are likely to be disappointed. Thirty, fify, a hun-
dred people is excellent attendance for a chapter
conference.
ready given to another chapter -- it will hurt both
of your chapters. Also make sure to choose a
date that does not conflict with other social ac-
tivities in your school -- your own members
should be your strongest attendance.
Conference Planning Meeting
Once you have the location confirmed,
you can begin planning the conference. To be-
gin planning, hold a meeting with all the people
who will be playing a large role in conducting
the conference. In the meeting you should de-
termine who will serve as Conference Coordina-
tor, the theme of the conference, the debate
topics and format, the conference schedule, and
who will serve in other important roles.
Conference Coordinator
One conference coordinator should be
chosen. One person should be able to make the
final decisions. The conference coordinator
should be someone who will delegate well and
can cooperate with many different chapter lead-
ers. In general, the Chapter President should
not serve as the conference coordinator. The
conference coordinator should be chosen before
any other planning takes place. Once chosen,
the conference coordinator should get in con-
tact with any people on state or regional cabi-
net assigned to work with chapter conferences.
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

Theme closing speeches. You may want to alter the

At this point, a theme should be chosen. times, such as a 7-4-3 or a 5-3-2 format. You can
The theme should be so broad that many differ- also have different styles of debates, such as
ent debates can come under that theme. Once cross examination or cross fire debate. You are
the theme is chosen, choose the title of the con- also free to have non-debate activities such as
ference. The title should be something inviting thought talks, mock trials, simulations -- anything
and exciting and relate directly to the theme. you think will get people interested and involved.
It is your conference, and you are free hold what-
Some themes that have worked in the past: ever activities you feel are best. In deciding what
• Education in America sort of activities to have and what format to make
• Foreign Affairs the debates, you should also decide how long you
• The American City want each debate to run. Most debates at confer-
• American Political Culture ences and conventions run between 45 and 75
• Saving the Environment minutes in length, but you do not need to stick to
• Crime in America this. Remember that if a debate is too short, there
• Religion’s Role in America may not be enough time to really delve into the
• Historical Topics important issues and learn something. On the
other hand, if it is too long, people may lose con-
Remember that most of your activities centration and get bored. You decide based on
should fall under the theme you choose, so make the topics, formats, activities and what you think
it broad enough and interesting enough that people will work best.
will not lose interest. A whole conference on dif-
ferent issues pertaining to the death penalty will Conference Schedule
get very boring, not to mention morbid. Also re- First decide how long you want the con-
member that you are free to
have some activities that do
not fall directly under your
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
theme, although most of them presented by the Lincoln High Chapter of JSA
should.

Debate Topics
Choose debate topics
that go with the theme and
that are fun to debate. Re-
member that to be debatable,
the topic must be controver-
sial. Try to create a balance
between different issues that
all fall under your conference
theme so that there will be
something there for every-
one.

Debate Format
Debate format is the
style of debate you will use in
your conference. The basic
6-3-3 Junior State debate al- Saturday, March 9 9:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m.
lots six minutes to the open- Lincoln High Auditorium
ing speeches and three min-
utes for the subsequent and

D-25
Section D
ference to be. Don’t make it too long or people
will lose concentration and get bored. Generally,
for a conference held on a Saturday, starting at
10:00 a.m. with registration an hour before and
ending by 4:00 or 5:00 p.m. is good. Starting a
little later than that can sometimes be a good idea
given that people don’t like to get up too early on a
Saturday morning.
Next decide how long you want each ac-
tivity to be. Just like conventions, most confer-
ences arrange all the activities into “blocks” of
time. During each block, a one or two activities
run simultaneously. Don't make the mistake of
scheduling too many activities. If fifty people at-
tend your conference, two activities per block with
25 people each feels like a success. If you had
scheduled three or four activities in a block, atten-
dance would be very thin and your conference
might look like a failure. The attendees can de-
cide which activity they want to attend each block.
Don’t have too many activities each block -- chap-
ter conferences are small and there may not be
enough people to sustain several different activi-
ties. Generally three, maybe four activities each
block is plenty. Figure on one activity for every
twenty to thirty people expected to attend. Better
to put more time and energy into a smaller num-
ber of really top notch activities than spread your
resources too thin over several poorly attended
and poorly planned ones.
Decide who does what
Decide at the planning meeting who will
be in charge of what. Don’t make the conference
coordinator in charge of everything. If more than
one chapter will be involved, decide what each
chapter will do for the conference. Too many
people taking large roles in the conference is bound
to mean little accountability and much confusion.
Only a handful of people should have major re-
sponsibilities in planning the conference. There
are, however, bound to be many smaller jobs that
individuals can do. Try to give everyone who
wants to participate at least some role in the con-
ference preparation. This will help unify the chap-
ter.
Extra Chapter Conference Ideas
• Social Event. Consider the possibility of in-
cluding a social event in the day. A social event
D-26
gives chapters an opportunity to know each other
better and gives the individual members of the
chapters a chance to meet each other as well.
You may want to have a dance, dinner or both. A
social activity can make the day complete and can
also be a great way to raise funds for your chap-
ter. (A dance where you invite the whole school
and charge a small entrance fee could make more
than a thousand dollars!)
• Debater Workshops. Having a Debater Work-
shop can greatly improve the debating skills of
those who attend. Schedule any Debate Work-
shops early in the day so that those who attend
will have a few blocks left to try out their newly
attained skills. You can find a member of your
chapter skilled in debating to lead one or have your
regional or state Debate Department find you
someone. If a member of your chapter will be
running it, make sure (s)he understands that the
workshop is for Junior State debating and not
some other style. To have your regional or state
Debate Department find someone for you, call
your local Director of Debate, Mayor or Governor
or call the Junior State’s National Headquarters.
• Special Speakers. Special speakers or “key-
notes” for your opening or closing session or other
activities can give your conference a professional
touch. Between opening and closing sessions,
opening is preferable as by closing session most
of the delegates are tired and will quickly lose con-
centration. You can usually find good speakers
willing to speak for free by contacting local com-
munity groups related to your theme. If your theme
is Education, you may find a local school admin-
istrator and a teacher’s union representative will-
ing to speak on funding of schools. If your theme
is Violence, a member of the local police depart-
ment may be willing to discuss the issue. You
can also include outside speakers in your open-
ing and closing sessions. A speaker from Moth-
ers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) may be willing
to come speak during an activity focusing on how
to reduce accidents related to drunk driving. With
outside speakers, remember two things: Invite
them way in advance (they often have very busy
schedules) and remember to thank them in front
of the audience at the conference and in writing
afterwards.
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

• Showing a Film. Showing a film can give a
nice break in the other activities of the day and
can add a very nice touch to the conference.
Choose one that is both enjoyable and related
to your conference theme. For instance, if your
conference theme is American Politics, you might
want to show All the President’s Men, which
shows the investigation of Watergate. Your lo-
cal video rental store is bound to have many
movies that in some way relate to your theme.
• JSA Candidates’ Forum. As mentioned be-
fore, a candidates’ forum is a block of time set
aside for Junior State members planning to run
for office. It gives candidates a chance to ex-
press their views and discuss their platforms, as
well as answer questions from the audience. The
people attending your conference will get a
chance to compare and contrast the candidates’
merits and platforms and will be able to make a
more informed decision when elections roll
around. If many candidates attend the confer-
ence, these can be very exciting. You may have
a member of your chapter run the candidates’
forum him or herself, provided that (s)he is not
a candidate. It often is easier to have a unbi-
ased member of the state or regional govern-
ment, such as the Lieutenant Governor (who is
already in charge of running elections), run the
candidates’ forum. To do so, contact your local
or state Junior State government official or call
the Junior State’s National Headquarters.
going to draw more people than others. Don’t
schedule a real big drawer next to a real small
one -- you will end up with debaters talking to
themselves. Try to schedule activities with about
the same draw in the same blocks. This way
you will have a roughly equal number of people
at all activities and give people interested in the
less popular topics an audience to work with.
It is also a good idea to avoid having sev-
eral activities on the same issue run simulta-
neously. If your conference theme is education
in America, and you have two debates on school
funding, schedule them for different blocks. This
gives people a wider variety each block and al-
lows people really interested in one issue to at-
tend both activities on that issue.
You should schedule a five to ten minute
break between each block for people to change
rooms, use the restroom and stretch. Be sure to
schedule enough time for lunch or your partici-
pants will not come back on time.
On the next page is a sample chapter con-
ference schedule to use as a rough guideline. It
does not have a set theme and the activities cover
a wide range of different topics. This is only
provided to give you an idea of how a confer-
ence could run. Your conference is your confer-
ence and you should feel free to plan it however
you feel is best.

Blocking the Conference

Once you have decided on the activities
and their length, you should “block” out your
conference. This means deciding which activi-
ties go in which blocks and finalizing the actual
schedule for the entire day. Remember to in-
clude time for registration and lunch. If your
conference is being held in the spring, you may
want to hold a candidates’ forum where stu-
dents running for Junior State office can discuss
their candidacy and platforms. Decide if you plan
to have a social event (see next section) and take
this into consideration when scheduling.

When blocking out the activities, make

sure to balance the activities in each block well.
You can usually get a feel for which activities are

D-27
Section D

SAMPLE CHAPTER CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

8:00 a.m. Conference leaders arrive

9:00 a.m. REGISTRATION

10:00 a.m. - 10:25 a.m. OPENING SESSION

Welcome Address
Review Agenda for the day

10:30 a.m. - 11:25 a.m. BLOCK ONE

Debate Workshop
Censorship of school newspapers Debate

11:30 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. BLOCK TWO

Abortion Debate
Death Penalty Debate

12:30 p.m. - 1:55 p.m. LUNCH

2:00 p.m. - 2:55 p.m. BLOCKTHREE

Environmentalism vs. Economy Debate

Discussion on Community Policing

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. CANDIDATES’ FORUM

4:00p.m. - 4:30 p.m. CLOSING SESSION

D-28
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference
Phase Two: Publicity
The Brochure
One of the most important parts of pub-
licizing your conference is a brochure or flyer.
After your planning meeting, you will be able to
write a brochure. The brochure should contain:
· The name of your conference
· The theme with a short introduction
· Debate topics and descriptions of all activities
· Any speakers or guests that will be attending
· The date, time and location of the conference
· The cost of the conference and any social events
· Information on the social event
· Directions & a map to the location
· Debater/Moderator/Participant application with
address where it should be sent
· Artwork or other things to make it look inter-
esting and attractive
Keep the brochure inexpensive and light
(so you are not charged a lot for mailing). Make
it easy to read and appealing -- remember that
this is an advertisement. Send copies of the bro-
chure to local chapter presidents, regional and
state leaders, The Junior State Office and any-
one else you think might bring in attendance.
The brochure can be as elaborate or as simple
as you want; it is all a matter of how much you
want to spend on printing and mailing. You may
want to make it a two sided tri-fold or your may
want to keep it a simple one sided flyer. You
might want to consider making it such that you
can fold it and mail it without putting it in an
envelope to save time and money.
Promotion
Extensive promotion is necessary for
large attendance. First of all, tell the members
of all the chapters involved. Then tell them to
tell all their friends. Tell the Junior Staters in your
Phase Three: Final Preparations
Signing Up Debaters and Moderators
It is important to do this early. Begin by
contacting those who responded to debate ap-
plications or contacted you directly. Then, those
people who are leading the conference should
fill in the open spaces. If all else fails (and it
D-29
area at conventions, other conferences or by
phone calls.
Try the following:
· Contact chapter members -- they should
all be attending.
· Contact Government, History, Social
Studies and Speech teachers and ask
them to tell students who may be inter-
ested. You might want to ask them to
give students extra-credit .
· Get all your friends to attend.
· Contact the local newspapers -- try a
small advertisement
· Run an article in your school newspaper
about JSA and the upcoming conference.
See if you can run an inexpensive add in
the paper as well for the few weeks be-
fore the conference.
· Contact participants in your school’s
debate team, Model U.N., National
Forensics League and other similar clubs
· Run bulletins in your school’s daily an-
nouncements.
· Contact leaders in your school’s student
government.
Phoning
In the last week before the conference
you should phone the people who will help you
get a large attendance. Also, confirm guest
speakers, debaters and moderators, and confirm
the site of the conference. One piece of good
advice: Don’t plan for an unrealisticly huge at-
tendance because you will only end up cancel-
ing activities. Having a few more people at each
activity than planned is seldom a big problem.
frequently does) call the Chapter Presidents,
leaders and well known debaters in the area for
help. If you still can’t find debaters for certain
debates, consider cancelling the debate or turn-
ing it into a thought talk. In general, debaters
Section D
and moderators who come to you and volun-
teer are much more likely to adequately prepare
and show up the day of the conference than
those participants who you need to convince to
participate.
Once you have all of the debate slots
filled, it is nice to contact the debaters by send-
ing them a letter to confirm their debate. You
should have the debaters confirmed at least two
weeks before the conference so that they have
time to prepare for the debate. If the debaters
do not have time to prepare, the debates will be
lower quality and less educational.
Preparing the Agenda
At this point you should have a schedule
of when each activity will take place. With this
information you can write an agenda. Keep in
mind that there should not be conflicts in sched-
ules (e.g. one person should not have two ac-
tivities in one block).
Here are some guidelines for your
agenda:
· Be clear, short and readable.
· Divide all activities into clear, separate
blocks of time.
· Include the issue (resolution), partici-
pants (debaters, moderators or leaders)
and room of each activity.
· Have a break for lunch or dinner if dur-
ing those times.
· Include opening and closing sessions
with any speakers you want to address
all the participants.
· Include registration time
· Include breaks between blocks so that
people can complete essential activities
(water, going to the bathroom).
· Include the time, place and description
of any social event.
When the students arrive, they should be
handed a registration packet that includes an
agenda and any other materials they may find
helpful. Consider including a map of the local
restaurants, flyers for upcoming conferences, the
brochure for the next convention, a Summer
D-30
School/Symposia brochure, a biography of your
guest speaker of anything else you find appro-
priate.
Debate Backgrounds
A simple background of the debate giv-
ing facts and arguments pertinent to the debate
is a nice touch. It is a good way to improve the
quality of the debates.
Conference Materials
Before the conference you should have
the following:
· Name tags: surprisingly cheap at stores.
These are a good way to identify who has paid
and who’s who.
· Registration cards: these you give the
Junior State office after the conference. They
like to get the names and addresses of non-mem-
bers who attend a Junior State event so that they
can recruit them into the Junior State. They are
also very useful when looking for new members.
You can obtain registration cards free of charge
from the office.
· Copies of debate backgrounds, agen-
das, maps, flyers, brochures and anything else
that will distributed to everyone attending the
conference in the registration packets. Don’t get
caught the day of the conference without
enough materials. See if your school will pho-
tocopy some of your materials for free.
· Manilla folders: to hold the registration
packets.
· Best Debater Ballots: if you will be giv-
ing best debater awards, these are a must. You
can obtain them in large quantities from the
Junior State office or prepare your own. Remem-
ber that you need enough for everyone attend-
ing the conference to fill one out each block.
· Best Debater Awards: if you would like
trophies or gavels, you can obtain then from the
Junior State office at a moderate cost. You may
want to try thinking of something more original
(perhaps related to your conference theme) and
likely less expensive. Best debater awards are
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference
not essential, but they are a nice touch and are
a nice way to end the conference.
· Audio/Visual equipment: if you need
microphones, projectors or anything else like
this, make sure to make arrangements in ad-
vance so that the equipment will be there when
and where you need it.
· Food: you may want to sell something
at your conference to make a little extra money.
Either arrange for each chapter member to bring
something to eat or drink, or buy some food.
Bagels and cream cheese, donuts, cookies, cup-
cakes and soft drinks are all very popular items
that attenders will likely be willing to buy at a
reasonable cost.
Phase Four: The Conference Day
Arrive Early
Arrive early with several others so that you
can open up, set up chairs and desks, put up post-
ers and set up any audio/visual equipment. Set
up the registration stand and food stand and find
a safe place to keep the money (in the cash box).
You will find many other things to do once you
arrive there so try not to be late -- even the most
thoroughly planned conference will have last
minute items that need taking care of.
Open Up
Open up half and hour before registration
time. Posters should be up and people should be
hanging around so that people from out of the area
will find the conference easily. Be sure to put up
signs directing people to the conference from
many different directions -- finding your school may
seem easy to you, but difficult to someone new.
Registration
Remember to hand out a registration folder
with an agenda, maps, a name tag and any other
materials you think should be included. Take their
money and ask them to fill out a registration card.
Be strict about their paying and filling out a regis-
D-31
· Posters (JSA signs), tape, pens, cash
box (to collect registration): the posters are to
show people where the conference is once they
are in the neighborhood. You may also want to
have the traditional theme poster to hang be-
hind the podium. The tape is to hang up signs
and posters. If the different meeting rooms are
at all difficult to find, have signs directing people
from the opening session rooms to the other
rooms. Have some pens and markers handy to
make posters and fill in registration cards.
· Etc. If there is anything else you can think
of that you will need the day of the conference,
get it. Go through the entire agenda step by
step in your mind and think of what extra things
you may need that you have forgotten.
tration card.
Opening Session
Start on time, and follow your agenda all
day. Make sure that all of your debaters have ar-
rived by opening session. If they haven’t, find an
experienced debater to fill his/her place or be pre-
pared to turn the debate into a thought talk or even
to cancel it. It is important that opening session
be exciting and run smoothly -- it sets the tone for
entire day. If your opening session seems disor-
derly and unorganized, people will be disappointed
and less enthusiastic about the activities. Any
guest speakers you have should be in tune with
the audience and exciting. Some of the best
speakers have some engaging yet brief prepared
remarks and leave ample time for questions from
the audience. You may want to try having two
guest speakers debate each other in a cross-ex-
amination debate in opening session. If you lose
your audience’s attention span during opening
session, it will be difficult to gain it back.
During the Blocks
If you have more than one debate each
block, a less popular debate can have very low
Section D
attendance. If this takes place, you may want to
cancel the debate instead of having a debate with
no subsequent speakers. If one of the main speak-
ers does not arrive and you cannot find a replace-
ment, you may either cancel the debate or turn it
into a thought talk. Changes are very easy to make
at small conferences. Don’t be afraid to be spon-
taneous when necessary.
Breaks
Stress returning on time from breaks.
People coming into a debate when it has already
started can be very disruptive. See if you can use
the breaks in between activities to meet the people
attending and touch base with the conference and
activity leaders. Try to get feedback from attend-
ees on how the conference is going. They may
Phase Five: After the Conference
Clean Up
A general guideline should be to leave the
place in better shape than you found it.
Thank You Notes
Thank all of the speakers and all of the
people who helped on the conference (teachers,
moderators, the Junior State office, etc.) with a
personal note. This is very important. Do not put
it off for later -- do it soon after the conference.
Publicity
Publicize the success of your conference.
Tell your school paper and the regional and state
Junior State papers. Get some credit for your
chapter and for yourself. Tell the Junior State of-
fice and your school administration how it went.
Making the success of your conference well
known will bring support and strength to your own
chapter and make it easier for your chapter to have
another activity or conference in the future.
D-32
be able to notify you of simple things you can do
to make the conference run more smoothly.
Closing Session
In closing session you should save time
for giving the results of debates and handing out
best debater awards. If there are any non-Junior
Staters in the crowd, you may spend some time
telling them about the Junior State. Finally, if there
is going to be a post-conference activity, you
should announce what it is and where it is at the
very end of closing session.
Money
Deposit the money you made and pay off
any debts you incurred. Be careful not to over-
look any people you may owe money to (e.g. your
publicity director for photocopying flyers).
Recruit New Members
If anyone from your school came who is
not a member of your chapter, try to recruit him/
her to join. Use the publicized success of your
conference to help gain new membership.
Relax
Take some time to look back on what you
and your chapter have accomplished. Running a
conference is a difficult task and even a moder-
ately successful one is an accomplishment of
which you should be justifiably proud.
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference
Debate Nights and After School Conferences
Some chapters find that they do not have
the membership or time and energy to plan a full-
scale weekend chapter conference, or that all the
weekend conference dates are filled. For these
chapters, an after school conference or debate
night can be an excellent way to attain many of
the benefits of a chapter conference without quite
as many demands.
Afterschool chapter conferences and de-
bate nights usually feature two to three debates in
classrooms. Afterschool conferences are held
right after school while debate nights usually start
in the evening. They are both usually held on
weeknights. Plan one just as you would a regular
chapter conference but take the following guide-
lines into consideration.
1) Schedule your after school conference or
debate night on a weeknight. Thursdays frequently
work best because students only have one day of
school left before they can catch up over the week-
end. Friday nights are discouraged because many
people make plans and some people may have
religious obligations.
2) After school conferences should begin
within an hour of school ending. Leave enough
time for students to get to their lockers and grab a
bite to eat, but not so much that they go home
and need to come back. The conference should
also end no later than 5:30 p.m. unless you are
planning dinner. Debate nights should start around
6:00 if you are including dinner, 7:00 if you are not.
This gives students a chance to go home, rest
and get some homework done before attending
the conference. They should end by 10:00 at the
latest. Many students may have to drive home
and parents frequently don’t like students out too
late on school nights.
3) Activities should be 45 to 60 minutes in
length. Take into consideration that the students
attending have already been through a long day of
school. They are likely to be somewhat tired from
the engaging activities of the day. Long opening
and closing sessions are also not a good idea.
Say what must be said and move on to the activi-
ties.
D-33
4) If the conference will not include many stu-
dents from other schools, it is a good idea to sched-
ule no more than two activities each block and
have no more than two blocks total.
5) Be especially sure not to have a lopsided
block with one activity that will draw many more
people than the other. With only a small number
of people at the conference, an unpopular activity
may have only one or two people show up and
leave the debaters talking to themselves.
6) Promote the conference very heavily within
your own school. Encourage other clubs to send
their members and encourage social studies
teachers to give extra-credit. Remember to pub-
licize far enough in advance so people can avoid
conflicting afterschool plans.
7) Decide early on if you want the conference
to be mostly for your own members or for other
chapters as well. Usually debate nights work out
better if other chapters are going to be included
since it takes time to get over to the hosting school
and most students are more likely to attend if they
can have some sort of break before it starts.
8) If you are going to include dinner, you may
find it easier to make the food yourself and serve
it to everyone rather than have them leave cam-
pus, as they frequently do during weekend con-
ferences. Serving dinner on campus saves time,
discourages students from leaving part way
through, and can be safer than having students
wander around looking for restaurants at night.
Consider cooking up several pots of spaghetti or
ordering pizzas. Be sure to offer a vegetarian op-
tion for vegetarians and people following religious
dietary laws. Remember drinks, dessert, plates,
plastic cutlery, cups and bags for garbage. Make
sure to adequately cover the costs of food in the
admission price for simplicity if possible, or charge
separately for dinner. Even with dinner, the con-
ference should still end no later than 9:00 p.m.
Students still will have homework to do and need
to get some sleep.
Section D

CHAPTER CONFERENCE
PLANNING TIMETABLE

Fill in the date for you conference then fill in all of the deadlines. Check off each task as it is completed.

Date of your conference

Ten Weeks ahead (date)

INITIAL PREPARATION

° Make arrangements to use site

° Hold conference planning meeting to:
° Select Theme.
° Select Conference Coordinator.
° Select Debate Topics.
° Divide up assignments.
° Decide on Extras:
° Guest Speakers
° Social Events
° Seminars
° JSA Candidates’ Forum
° Inform the following of your plans:
° Your teacher/advisor -- obtain his/her approval
° Your school administration -- obtain their approval
° Your State/Regional Chapter Conference Coordinator
° The Junior State Office

Eight Weeks ahead (date)

° Make a flyer or brochure for your conference.

° Send flyer/brochure to printer to be printed/photocopied.

Seven Weeks ahead (date)

° Invite Guest Speaker(s).

Six Weeks ahead (date)

BEGIN PUBLICITY

° Distribute flyer/brochure
° Give copies to all of your chapter members. Have them give copies to friends who may be
interested.
° Give copies to Social Studies, Government, and other teachers and administrators at your

D-34
 Publicity, Fund Raising, Membership Drive & Chapter Conference

school. Ask them to give it to interested students.

° Mail copies to nearby JSA Chapter Presidents, cabinet members, and other officers. Ask the
JSA office for mailing labels.
° Arrange, if possible, to place an announcement for the conference in your school or local
newspaper for the two or three weeks before the conference.

Four Weeks ahead (date)

° Select and notify debaters, moderators, and other student participants. All conference
participants MUST be selected, notified, and confirmed at least two weeks before the
conference.

Three Weeks ahead (date) BEGIN FINAL PREPARATIONS

° Set final agenda.

° Have debate backgrounds written.
° Confirm Speaker(s).
° Get conference materials:
° Registration cards and best debater ballots can be provided to you free of charge by the
Junior State Office provided that all of the above steps have been completed. Call to request
them. Purchase name tags and manilla folders.
° JSA Best Debater trophies and/or gavels can be purchased from The Junior State Office. Call
to purchase them.

Two Weeks ahead (date)

REMINDERS/CONFIRMATIONS

° Call student participants to reconfirm and to make sure they are preparing.
° Post flyers around your campus -- put announcements in the school bulletin.
° Send flyer to chapter members, teachers and JSA leaders as a reminder. Distribute maps to
those people who need them.

One Week ahead (date)

° Notify media (see publicity section)

° Have agenda, debate backgrounds and other materials copied and ready to distribute.

The night before (date)

° Hold a pre-conference meeting.

D-35
 The Junior State of America

DEBATE
HANDBOOK

400 S. El Camino Real, Ste 300

San Mateo, CA 94402
800-334-5353 800-317-9338
www.jsa.org jsa@jsa.org

1
 Debate Handbook
In a world full of endless problems and conflicting opinions, the art of debate is a very
valuable tool. The Junior State recognizes this and makes debate an integral part of its program.
Many new Junior State members are inexperienced in the field of debate. This handbook was
created as a learning tool. It will present to you the fundamentals of parliamentary procedure and
JSA debate. After reading this handbook, you will feel confident enough to express yourself in the
debate framework. Remember, all views and arguments on the subject at hand are valid if well
thought out. In expressing your opinion, you have nothing to lose, so speak up!!

TRADITIONAL JSA DEBATE PROCEDURE

First, the moderator reads the debate resolution. A possible resolution might be:

RESOLVED, that the private ownership of handguns be banned.

The debate begins with six minute opening speeches from the main speaker in favor of the
resolution (the proponent) and the main speaker against the resolution (the opponent). These two
persons have been selected in advance and have prepared their speeches. It is their job to research
the debate topic and summarize the key arguments in favor of their position as they see them. For
example, the main proponent for the above resolution might expand on three main arguments:

I. Handguns have no purpose other than to kill people.

II. Crimes of passion will be fewer if handguns are not available.
III. Only banning handguns will solve the problem; gun registration is not enough.

If there is any time left after the main speaker has finished speaking, the speaker may: 1)
yield the remaining time to questions (take questions from the floor); or 2) yield the time to the chair
(time forfeited).

After the proponent's time has lapsed, the opponent gives a six minute opening speech. The
opponent might begin by offering new arguments to the debate:

I. We need guns for the protection of our property.

II. Owning a gun is a constitutional right.

Then the opponent should respond to or “refute” the proponent's major points:

III. Handguns can be used for hunting.

IV. Knives and other weapons will still be available to kill with.
V. Gun registration can help find the owner of a crime gun.

When the opponent is finished expressing his point of view, he also may: 1) yield the
remaining time to questions (take questions from the floor); or 2) yield the time to the chair (time
forfeited).

2
 After the main speeches are finished, the moderator will ask for subsequent speeches from
the audience. These speeches alternate between affirmative and negative, beginning with the
affirmative. Unless otherwise stated, these may be a maximum of three minutes in length. Anyone,
except the moderator, may speak. If no one else wishes to speak on a certain side, the main speaker
on that side may be recognized. As an example (once again with the above resolution), the
subsequent speaker might state:

1)A new argument: Gun control seems to work in the various cities in which it is being used. A
handgun ban should be expanded nationwide.

2)A new fact supporting an old argument: According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report of 2005,
some 68% of all murders with handguns are crimes of passion.

3)A new way of looking at an old argument: Gun registration is not enough; we need the strongest
possible gun control.

4)Rebutting an opponent’s argument: Knives are less likely to kill than handguns.

5)A combination of all of the above.

At the end of the subsequent speech, the speakers may: a) yield their time to questions; b)
yield their time to the chair; c) yield their time to another subsequent speaker (on the same side); or
d) yield their time to the main speaker (on the same side).

After the alternating speeches, an appropriate motion (the previous question) is passed, or
when the time limitation set for the debate expires, subsequent speeches will be discontinued and the
main speakers will each give a closing speech.

Closing speeches begin with the opponent, followed by the proponent. These speeches
should reemphasize and defend the most important arguments brought up by each side. The
speakers should try to present the overall philosophy of their position, reiterate the best arguments
on their side and refute the most damaging arguments brought up by their opponents. Keep in mind,
the words spoken last have the greatest impact and are usually best remembered by the audience. If
time remains after the conclusion of either closing speech, the speaker must yield his time to the
chair.

Following the closing speeches, the audience immediately votes on the resolution, and the
results are announced.

RESEARCH

The first step to good preparation is being able to find sources of information on a
particular issue. There are several ways of doing research. Here are a couple of places to start:

3
 1. The Web: The Web provides an incredible array of resources on every imaginable topic.
However, since anyone can create a website, the most important thing is to establish the
credibility of your sources. Most major newspaper websites, such as www.nytimes.com
for the New York Times and http://online.wsj.com/public/us for the Wall Street Journal
may be considered reliable and provide internal search engines. Other news
organizations, such as www.cnn.com provide the same service. Sometimes, you may
have to create an account but these are usually free. General search engines such as
Google and Yahoo can also be useful. Both have News pages where you can search for
news stories specifically associated with your topic. One guide to researching on-line can
be found at http://www.webliminal.com/search/.

2. The Library: Every library contains the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature which
indexes magazine articles by subject. The Reader's Guide concentrates primarily on the
most widely read publications (Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, etc.), but
also some less read titles (America, Nation, etc.). It is usually the best source for researching
a debate. However, if you wish to obtain a more in-depth survey of a subject, you may
prefer periodical indexes such as Social Sciences and Humanities or Public Affairs
Information Service (P.A.I.S.). These indexes will classify magazines of a more specified
nature (i.e. New England Journal of Medicine and government publications). These helpful
guides are highly recommended if the information you seek is not found in the Reader's
Guide.

3. Your Own Ingenuity: Research organizations and politicians dedicated to your issue.
What are their main arguments and campaigns? Maybe you can get a quote in support of
your argument directly from a politician supporting your argument!

ORGANIZING YOUR MAIN SPEECH

Every speech should have some organizational structure. This helps the audience follow along with
what you are saying. More importantly, it helps you arrange your arguments for maximum impact.
One simple organizational structure looks like this:

I. Introduction and preview of arguments. In this simple structure, the speaker gives an
attention getting introduction that:
a. Lets the audience know why the issue at hand is important.
b. Provides a definition for the audience of resolution so everyone understands the
issue.
c. Gives a quick summary of three main arguments that the speaker will use to gain
support from the audience.
II. Main point #1. Think of the main points as the answer to the question, “why?” For
example in our sample resolution, the answer to the question, “Why should handguns be
banned?” helps us form our first main point: “Because the only use for handguns is to
shoot other people.” Each main point should be supported by some type of evidence.
III. Main point #2
IV. Main point #3
V. Conclusion. Review your main points, refute your opponent’s best arguments and make
a final appeal for votes.

4
In this simple structure, you should arrange your main points so that your best argument is either
Main point #1 or Main point #3 – either first or last.

“Be aware that people will remember what you say first (the primary principle) and
what you say last (the recency principle). In light of this, it is logical that arranging
your arguments either from weakest to strongest (climax) or from strongest to
weakest (anticlimax) would be more effective than placing your best points in the
middle (pyramidal)”

-- From The Speakers Handbook, Sprague and Stuart

Another organizational structure relies on a psychologically based format developed in the

1930’s by Alan Monroe. Known as Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, this organizational structure has
been used widely in sales presentations and TV ads, but it is also very effective for persuasive
speeches. This format as outlined on Answers.com (http://www.answers.com/topic/monroe-s-
motivated-sequence):

I. Attention. Gets the attention of your audience using a detailed story, shocking example,
dramatic statistic, quotations, etc.

II. Need. Show that the problem about which you are speaking exists, that it is significant,
and that it won't go away by itself. Use statistics, examples, etc. Convince your audience
that there is a need for action to be taken. [If you are opposed to a resolution, you may
show that there is no need to pass the resolution.]

III. Satisfaction. Show that this need can be satisfied. Provide solutions for the problem that
the government and community can implement as a whole. [If you are opposed to a
resolution, you can show that passing the resolution does not solve the problem or you
can propose a better solution.]

IV. Visualization. Tell the audience what will happen if the solution does not take place. Be
visual and detailed.

V. Action. Tell the audience what action they can take personally to solve the problem. [In
the case of a debate, the audience can vote for your side of the resolution.]

VI. Conclusion. Wrap up your speech, review points, restate your contention, motivate your
audience, and conclude. This step is not always included.

More information on Monroe’s Motivated Sequence can be found at

http://faculty.ncu.edu.jm/salazar/Monooes.pdf

SUPPORTING YOUR ARGUMENT

In developing an argument, it is important to have supporting evidence. An argument may

be supported by:

5
Statistics: The 2004 National Traffic Report shows that 52% of all auto accidents involved someone
who was talking on a cell phone.

Expert Opinion/Quotes: Biologist Frank Hemminger says, “Carbon dating of fossils can be wildly
inaccurate. It is an inexact science.”

Historical Precedent: The Republican presidential candidate has won a majority of the states in the
South in 6 of the last 7 elections. The “solid south” will vote Republican in the next election.

Development of widely accepted moral principles: Equality is good; consequently, discrimination is

bad.

These four types of argumentation illustrate that a principle or fact that ultimately supports
your hypothesis is valid evidence. You need not always go to a source to support your conclusions.
Often, the development of a basic moral principle that you share with your audience is as effective as
the use of statistics or opinions. However, statistics and opinions are highly persuasive, primarily
because they lend authority or credibility to your arguments. The relating of personal experiences or
anecdotes may also be effective.

SUBSEQENT SPEECHES

Remember, unless you are the main speaker, you will have just three minutes to present your
arguments. Consequently, it is not necessary to have a large number of points. In fact, one well-
developed idea often makes the most effective subsequent speech. A good subsequent speech has an
organizational format even though it is shorter than the main speeches.

The subsequent speeches introduce most of the CLASH into a debate. The philosophy
behind all debates is that, with conflict, truth arises. But all too often speakers present their ideas
without responding to the objections of the opposition. In other words, there is no confrontation.
The end result of this type of debate is that the audience is never really presented with a clear
conflict.

As an example of a debate in which there is no clash, we once again turn to the gun control
debate. Consider a debate where these arguments are made one right after another:

Subsequent speaker for the opponent: “Handgun ownership is constitutionally protected.”

Subsequent speaker for the proponent: “Gun control has been effective in many cities.”

Opponent speaker: “If handguns are outlawed, only outlaws will have handguns.”

Proponent speaker: “Handgun registration isn’t enough to stop the violence.”

The debaters here are talking past each other and the arguments are not being countered.

6
 Would it not have been a better debate if the first proponent had confronted the opponent's
charge of a constitutional right? The proponent should have said that the Supreme Court has ruled
that there is no express constitutional right to own a handgun.

In the interest of "clash"' keeping a "flow chart" of ideas is helpful. Write down in
chronological order all the major points brought up by both sides and how each subsequent point
answers or contradicts them. Thus, when a speaker says something contradicting a previous
statement, you can ask him about it. Follow what each individual speaker has said; do not challenge
one speaker with something another speaker has said. Remember, the most persuasive type of
argumentation is presented when each side responds to all the arguments of the opposition.

PRESENTATION

Techniques of speaking are very important because no matter how substantive your
argument is, if you lose your audience, your message will lose most of its impact. One of the most
important aspects of a presentation is eye contact. Certainly, you may glance at your notes, but try
to scan the room, focusing on different people from time to time.

In giving your speech, be clear and confident. Place emphasis on those points most
important to you. This can be done through voice intonation and volume fluctuation.

Most experienced JSA debaters do not write a full text script but instead create an outline
from which they can present an organized and yet flexible speech. Outlines provide the most
effective presentation as they:

• Avoid the hassle of trying to memorize a pre-written speech manuscript, and allow a
Maximum amount of eye contact since you don’t have to read word-for-word.
• Provide a guideline that, if followed, will insure that you neither ramble on needlessly
nor forget some of the points that you intended to cover.
• Give flexibility so if unforeseen arguments emerge to which you would like to respond,
you can do so my adding appropriate notes and reminders right into your outline.

Think about these other tips as you consider how to present your speeches:

• Begin the speech with an arresting, thought-provoking introduction to gain the audience’s
attention. Explain the significance of the topic and define any necessary terms in the
resolution.

• Preview the main arguments and issues that lead to your ultimate conclusion in the
debate. Some debate coaches call this “road mapping” or “headlining” (what would a
newspaper look like without the presence of the bold, concise headlines it contains?).
This serves the same purpose as a book’s table of contents to preview the contents.
• In addition to headline value, each argument should have internal structure, with sub-
headings being subordinate to main issues and should have sufficient proof or evidence
to validate or prove the issue. Unproven assertions remain just that: assertions!

7
 • Arguments, then, must be supported by statistics, expert opinions, real life examples,
historical precedent, or accepted moral principles. But remember: your evidence might be
challenged by your opponents – just as you may challenge their supposed evidence.
• Depending on the placement of your speech within the entire debate, you may have to in-
corporate direct clash into your speech. All too often, speakers present their ideas with-
out acknowledging or responding to the points made by the opposition.

• When you have about 30 seconds left in your allotted time [you’ll know this because
each
debate has a timekeeper], begin your intentional summary. Review the main points you
attempted to make in your speech (both in favor of your side and against the opponent’s
side) and the purpose for presenting those points in the overall scheme of the debate.
• A conclusion is the punch line that makes a memorable culmination to your speech.
Frequently, a successful conclusion relates back to the introduction (repeating the
striking fact, giving the denouement to the story or example or the answer to the
rhetorical question). It should stand on its own and be an indelible ending to the speech
as opposed to: “Uh, that’s all I have to say, so please vote for my side in the debate.
Thank you . . . how much time do I have left for questions?” all of which are terrible
ways to end a speech!

ANSWERING QUESTIONS

Fielding questions is not really as bad as you may think. Do not be scared; just try to answer
them to the best of your knowledge. When answering questions, stay calm, assert your ideas, and do
not be intimidated. Answer questions that deal precisely with what you said; if you aren’t sure of the
answer to the question, it is O.K. to acknowledge that you don’t know.

Listen to the questions carefully and don’t assume that the person asking the question
opposes your point of view. Sometimes an audience member will ask a question that will allow you
to expand on something you’ve said or fill in points that you might have missed. These helpful
questions give you a chance to hammer home your point of view.

Your research before the debate should prepare you for most questions that the audience can
come up with. You will come across facts and quotations that you will not be able to use in your
main speech due to time limit considerations. Before the debate, think about possible questions that
might arise and prepare for them. Answering questions confidently adds to your credibility as a
speaker and the audience becomes more accepting of your whole presentation.

Don’t let the questions divert the audience’s attention from your main points. A question
that strays far away from the arguments that you have presented can obscure the impact you have
made with your speech. In your answer, you can acknowledge a good question, yet reassert that
your main points are the most important for the audience to consider when decided how to vote on
the resolution.

8
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Debates are to be run generally according to parliamentary procedure as stated in Robert's

Rules of Order, Revised. Included with this handbook is a chart on popular parliamentary procedure
and rules. After a general motion has been made, the rules are in effect. A motion is made by
raising your hand, being recognized by the moderator (chair), and telling the chair under what point
(or motion) you rise.

For example, if a member of the audience wanted to suspend the rules of the debate so that
speeches could be four minutes rather than the established three, he would:

1) Tell the moderator, "I move to suspend the rules";

2) State his objective, "to make speeches four minutes in length";
3) His motion would have to receive a second;
4) A vote would be taken and, if the motion received a two-thirds vote, it would pass.

A common motion is the point of personal privilege. You should rise to a point of personal
privilege if you are uncomfortable, unable to hear the speaker, need to leave the room, and so forth.
If you simply want to exit (for personal reasons), or want to open the window, you may not interrupt
the speaker. However, if something is seriously affecting the orderly progress of the debate, such as
your being unable to hear the speaker, then you may interrupt the speaker and ask the moderator to
rectify the situation. The procedure is the same as for extending time, but no second or vote is
needed. A subsequent speaker may have his time extended if a motion stating the amount of
additional time is made, seconded and passed with a vote of two-thirds or more.

Another important motion is the previous question. The procedure is exactly the same as for
extending time. If the motion passes, subsequent speeches are discontinued: the main speakers
present their closing speeches, and the vote is taken. The specific requirements for passage of the
motions along with all the pertinent details are contained on the chart on the next page.

9
 TABLE OF MOST FREQUENTLY USED MOTIONS

MAY MOTION
NAME OF THE PURPOSE OF MOTION BE MADE IF A DOES MOTION IS MOTION VOTE NEEDED
MOTION TO USE 1 SPEAKER IS NEED A SECOND? DEBATABLE? TO PASS THE
RECOGNIZED? MOTION?

RISE TO A POINT OF To correct an error in Yes No No Decision of

ORDER 2 parliamentary procedure the moderator

RISE TO A POINT OF To make a personal request Yes No No Decision of

PERSONAL PRIVILEGE 2 during the proceedings the moderator

RISE TO A POINT OF To ask a question about Yes No No Decision of

PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY 2 the proceedings the moderator

TO ADJOURN 3 To dismiss the meeting No Yes No Majority

TO RECESS OR To pause the meeting for No Yes Only the Majority

CAUCUS 3, 4 a specified length of time length of time

TO SUSPEND THE RULES 3 To take action contrary to No Yes No 2/3rds

any established rule

TO EXTEND SPEAKER’S To take action contrary to No Yes Only the 2/3rds

TIME 3, 5, 7 the pre-set time limits length of time

TO CALL THE PREVIOUS To stop debating the reso-

QUESTION ON RESOLU- lution (or amendment) and No Yes No 2/3rds
TION (OR AMENDMENT) 3 go to the closing speeches

TO AMEND 3, 6 Modify or change resolution No Yes Yes Majority

MAIN MOTION OR To introduce business or No Yes Yes Majority

RESOLUTION present a resolution

Notes: 1. The higher a motion appears on this chart, the higher is its priority or importance to be dealt with. Deal with the higher motions before the lower ones.
2. The top three motions are matters of procedure to keep the debate running smoothly. The moderator immediately decides on the needed action.
3. The remaining motions are matters of routine to help accomplish the group’s wishes during the debate. They require the assembly’s vote to adopt.
4. Calling for a caucus may be adopted only once per debate for a maximum of a 5-minute recess.
5. This motion may be adopted only once per speech for a maximum of a 1 minute extension.
6. Amending a resolution may be made only with prior notice to the assembly (to allow time to prepare) and requires approval by both main speakers.
7. In JSA debates, this motion may only be used for subsequent speakers. It may not be used solely to allow for more questioning time. It may only be recognized once the speakers’ time has expired.

10
 Moderator Handbook

The Junior State of America

MODERATOR
HANDBOOK
400 S. El Camino Real, Ste 300
San Mateo, CA 94402
800-334-5353 800-317-9338
1 www.jsa.org jsa@jsa.org
Appendix A
THE JUNIOR STATE MODERATOR HANDBOOK
There is no doubt that moderating is one
of the most important jobs in a debate. You are
responsible for keeping a room full of high school
students in order and involved in a serious de-
bate. This responsibility comes with the opportu-
nity to create an environment in which great things
can happen. People can think. People can learn.
People can speak. People may change their
views. These opportunities are the essence of a
Junior State Debate. It is your responsibility to
make sure that everyone has these opportunities.
Don’t let anything about moderating scare
you. Don’t worry if you don’t know every last de-
tail of Robert’s Rules of Order. Remember: You
are in control. You are the chair.
So as you go through this handbook, don’t
get too caught up in the details of parliamentary
procedure. Know the basics, know your goal, and
the rest will fall right into place.
The Standard JSA Debate Procedure
1. Call the Debate to Order
2. Read the resolution
3. Introduce the Main Speakers
4. Appoint a timekeeper
5. Affirmative Opening Speech
6. Negative Opening Speech
7. Select Subsequent Speakers (Alternating
pro and con)
8. Motion to call the previous question
9. Negative closing speech
10. Affirmative Closing Speech
11. Read the resolution again
12. Take a vote on the resolution
13. Announce the result of the vote
14. Select Best Speaker (pass our ballots)
Explanation of Steps Before the Debate...
It is important that you are well prepared
for the debate. Know the exact wording of the
resolution. Know the format and rules for the de-
bate (particularly if they differ from the norm.) Even
go as far as making sure you know how to pro-
nounce the main speakers names.
2
The Goal
A moderator's goal is to promote a fair and
robust exchange of ideas in an atmosphere where
people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.
Keeping the goal in mind is a good way to see if
your debate is on track and if you are doing a good
job. If you find that you have spent the last five
minutes arguing over some aspect of parliamen-
tary procedure, you are not on track. If you find
that a great debate is progressing and both sides
of the issue are being thoroughly and vigorously
supported, you are on track. Your purpose is be-
ing fulfilled. Don’t let the debate get out of control,
but don't let procedural issues take time away from
discussing the pros and cons of the resolution.
With this goal in mind, let us start our way
through the steps of the common Junior State
Debate.
If you have a chance before the debate,
introduce yourself to the main speakers. A de-
bater will likely feel much more comfortable if they
know the moderator. Make sure that you arrive
for the debate ten minutes before it is scheduled
to start. This will help establish you as the person
in control. Make sure that the room is set up right.
Write the resolution on a chalkboard if possible. If
you want the subsequent speakers to write their
name down on the board, leave room. Make sure
you have enough best debater slips.
1. Call the Debate to Order
There is always a question as when to
start the debate - some people may be late arriv-
ing for the debate. You should start when you
feel most of the audience has had ample time to
arrive. Ask students to sit near the front to leave
room in the back for late comers. Make sure that
the main speakers from both side are present.
Start by saying, “This debate is now called to or-
der...” in a clear, firm voice. This will quiet the

room just as quickly as excessive “shhhh’s” with-
out the ‘teacher’ overtones. Don’t hesitate to tap
your gavel to get the audience's attention.
Moderators must explain the debate pro-
cedure to the audience. It is particularly impor-
tant to explain the procedure if there are many
new JSA’ers present. Spending just a couple min-
utes reviewing the format and rules at the begin-
ning of the debate avoids confusion later and
saves time.
2. Read the resolution
Make sure that you read the resolution in
a clear, loud voice. It is imperative that everyone
understands the exact wording of the resolution.
If the wording is rather esoteric or it is an obscure
topic, take a moment to explain it so that every-
one can understand what is being said. If Debate
Briefs have been provided for the debate, encour-
age people to look them over.
3. Introduce the Main Speakers
As mentioned earlier, try to make sure you
have the pronunciation of their names down right.
Simply state, " (name of proponent) is speak-
ing for the affirmative and (name of opponent)
is speaking for the negative." Remember to intro-
duce yourself as well.
4. Appoint a timekeeper
Ask someone at the front of the audience
with a watch (preferably digital, must have sec-
onds) to be timekeeper. (S)he must know the
amount of time to give each speaker and the spe-
cific JSA hand signals:
Two fingers up = Two minutes remaining
One finger up = One minute remaining
Half Finger up = Half minute remaining
10...9...8...Fingers = Last ten seconds
Form a "T" with both hands = TIME IS UP
5. Affirmative Opening Speech
The speaker in favor of the resolution will
speak for 6 minutes. (This may vary for chapter
conferences or lunchtime debates, so check be-
fore hand.) Introduce them again before they start
their speech by saying “The proponent (name) is
recognized for six minutes”.
When the timekeeper indicates that time
3
Moderator Handbook
is up, politely announce that their time has expired.
If the speaker is in the middle of a sentence or
thought, you, as the moderator, can grant the
speaker a few extra seconds to "sum up" their
current thought. You can interrupt and stop the
speaker if the speaker attempts to take too much
time (more than 30 seconds) to "sum up."
If the speaker finishes before their time is
up, the timekeeper should stop timing at that point.
Ask the timekeeper how much time remains. If
there is less than 30 seconds, you can absorb
the remaining time.
If more than 30 seconds remain, the
speaker has two options. Announce that the
speaker may:
a) Yield the Time to Questions:
This is the most common way to use one’s
remaining time. If the speaker chooses to do so,
simply ask if there are any questions from the
audience. Usually, several hands will fly up. You
choose who asks the questions. Remind the au-
dience members that, if called on by you, they
can ask one question with no follow-ups. Try to
be impartial. Only call on the other main speaker
if no one from the audience wants to ask.
Remind the timekeeper to time both the
question and the answer.
If someone spends too long asking a
question, remind them (nicely) that they need to
be brief. If people do not phrase their statement
in a question form, remind them. Once the main
speaker has answered a question, the questioner
may not immediately ask another; this is called a
‘follow-up’ and is not allowed. When there are 15
or fewer seconds left, the time is automatically
yielded to the chair.
b) Yield the Time to The Chair:
This means that they choose to give up
their time. Simply continue on to the next step in
running the debate.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If a main speaker does not
use the full time allotted, the remaining time may
only be yielded to the chair or yielded to ques-
tions. The main speakers' time may NOT be
yielded to another speaker. Furthermore, the au-
Appendix A
dience may NOT extend the main speakers' time.
If someone makes a motion to do either of these
things, you, as the moderator, must remind them
that those motions can not be entertained.
6. Negative Opening Speech
This is the exact same as the affirmative
speech. Make sure that you introduce the nega-
tive speaker again before he or she begins.
7. Selecting Subsequent Speakers
This part of the debate is crucial. It allows
direct audience participation and is one of the best
ways of exchanging ideas. Simply ask the audi-
ence who would like to give an affirmative subse-
quent speech. YOU select them; be judicial. If
someone holds up what looks like notes, pick
them first; they are likely to be the most prepared
and offer the most to the audience. If someone
has been clearly disturbing the debate, don’t
choose them. Alternate between affirmative and
negative beginning with affirmative. Be sure to
get the name down of each speaker. They have 3
minutes to speak.
When each speaker is finished, again ask
the timekeeper how much time remains. If it is
more than 20 seconds, the speaker may:
a) Yield the Time to another Speaker:
This means that another speaker uses the
remaining time to speak on the same side. Make
sure that this is clear to the audience. (i.e. If Joe
speaks on the affirmative for 2 minutes, Robert
may speak on the affirmative after for the remain-
ing time of 1 minute.) If the second speaker does
not use up the remaining time (s)he may only yield
it to the chair or to questions.
b) Yield the Time to Questions:
This is the exact same as in step 5a.
c) Yield the Time to The Chair:
This is the exact same as in step 5b.
Once the time has either elapsed or a
speaker has yielded it to the chair, select a speaker
from the other side. Repeat this process, alter-
nating between the affirmative and negative speak-
ers until someone moves to the previous ques-
tion.
4
8. Ask for Previous Question
Although the term “previous question”
seems to have little to do with ending the debate,
when this motion passes, no more subsequent
speeches are allowed and the main speakers give
their closing speeches. Usually, someone will
make the motion 6-8 minutes before the sched-
uled end of the time allotted for the debate. If no
one does, however, you can ask for the previous
question about 15 minutes before the debate is
scheduled to end. Simply say, “We are running a
bit short on time... Will someone move the previ-
ous question?”
Audience members must raise their hands
and be recognized or called on by you before they
can make any motion, including this one. "I move
the previous question" is the standard phrase that
is used.
As soon as the motion has been made, it
must be seconded. Usually someone will shout
out “Second," and that is sufficient. If not, simply
ask if anyone seconds the motion.
Once a second has been made, you
should take a "voice vote" of the audience:
"All those in favor of moving the previous
question and moving to the closing
speeches followed by a vote on the reso-
lution, PLEASE SAY 'AYE'."
Allow audience members to respond.
"All those opposed who would like to con-
tinue debating, PLEASE SAY 'NAY'."
Again, allow the audience to respond.
As the moderator, you get to determine if the mo-
tion passes. The "previous question" motion re-
quires a 2/3rds majority to pass. Since this is
usually a routine procedural motion and since you
just took a voice vote, don't worry about trying to
determine precisely how many people voted in
favor. If it sounded like a good majority of the
people voted in favor, announce that the previous
question passes and continue on to step 9.

If it sounds like most people would like to continue
debating, explain that the previous question failed
and then continue with step 7 until the motion is
made again.
Your skills as moderator are sometimes
tested during this vote. When you take a voice
vote, don't let a small number of loud people inter-
fere with the debate procedure and the wishes of
the majority of the people. If a few people still
want to give speeches, they will be very loud "nay"
votes. But, if the vast majority of the audience
wishes to end the debate on time, as the modera-
tor, your duty is to announce that the motion
passed.
If the previous question fails legitimately
but the time allotted for the debate is just about
up, you can overrule the vote of the audience and
announce that the previous question has been
moved in the interest of time.
Sometimes, you will recognize someone
in the audience who will move the previous ques-
tion very early on in the debate. Once the previ-
ous question is moved and seconded, a vote is in
order. As moderator, before you call for the vote,
you can remind the audience that there is plenty
of time remaining and suggest that it is too early
to pass the previous question motion.
Moderators are in charge of the flow and
timing of the debate and audience members usu-
ally pay attention to the advice given by modera-
tors. Here are some helpful reminders you can
tell the audience before you call for a voice vote
on the previous question motion:
"Since only 8 minutes remain in the allot-
ted time for this debate, I would recom-
mend that the house move the previous
question."
"The audience should be aware that many
people still wish to give subsequent
speeches and we have time for at least
two more speeches."
"I would like to remind the audience that
the time for this debate is almost up and
we still need to hear closing speeches from
5
Moderator Handbook
the main speakers and take a vote on the
resolution."
"We have only had a few subsequent
speeches and it seems like there are
many more issues that can be addressed
in this debate. Time will allow for more
subsequent speeches."
9. Negative closing speech
The negative speaker will now have 3 min-
utes to summarize his/her main arguments and/
or refute arguments made by the affirmative
speakers. When the speaker is done, any remain-
ing time is automatically yielded to the chair. No
questions are allowed after closing speeches and
no additional time may be granted by the audi-
ence. If the speaker has not finished talking at the
end of 3 minutes, politely announce that their time
has expired. At your discretion, you may allow a
few extra seconds for the speaker to "sum up" if
they are in the middle of a sentence.
10. Affirmative Closing Speech
This is the same as #9. Note that the Af-
firmative goes last.
11. Read the resolution again
This is important. Sometimes speakers
try to obscure the real resolution to suit their own
side of the debate. Reading the resolution reminds
the audience of exactly what the issue is. The
audience must not be confused when they vote
on the resolution.
12. Take a vote on the Resolution
Ask everyone in favor of the resolution to
raise their hand. For example:
"All those in favor of the resolution, 'Re-
solved that handguns should be banned,'
please raise your hand."
Both you and the timekeeper should in-
dependently count and confirm your results.
Record it. Ask all those against the resolution to
raise their hands and count and record again.
"All those opposed to the resolution, please
raise your hand."
Appendix A
Next, ask for all those abstaining (not vot-
ing for or against) to raise their hands and once
again count and record the results.
"All those who are abstaining and do not
wish to cast a vote, please raise your
hand."
If you have a large audience, you will want
to ask people to stand up to cast their vote - it is
easier to count that way.
Your count and the timekeepers count
should match. If the counts don't match and the
difference will not affect the final outcome of the
debate (if the resolution passes or fails), as mod-
erator, you determine which count to use. If you
and the timekeeper come up with wildly different
vote totals that will affect the outcome, ask the
audience to cast their vote again. If you and the
timekeeper are still off, it is better to stand by your
count (you are the moderator), instead of putting
the audience through yet another vote.
13. Announce the Result of the Vote
Although it is often obvious which side won,
give the specific vote on each side including ab-
stentions. To avoid confusion, always announce
the affirmative votes first.
"The resolution passes by a vote of 42 in
favor, 13 opposed, with 2 abstentions."
PARLIAMENTARY MOTIONS
The debate style that we just outlined is a
parliamentary style debate and is based on the
premise that every decision is initiated by a mo-
tion. A motion is simply a request to take action
on something. It often requires a vote although
many motions can be dealt with by the chair (that’s
you.) The ones that require a vote can usually be
dealt with in a ‘aye’ & ‘nay’ vote. Whichever side
is louder has the majority. (Some motions, of
course, require a 2/3 vote.) If it is close enough
6
"The resolution fails with a vote of 10 in
favor, 18 opposed, and 1 abstention."
Please note: For Junior State debates, absten-
tions do not count in determining if the resolution
passed or failed. For example, if 10 people vote
in favor of the resolution, 9 people vote against
the resolution and 5 people abstain from voting,
for Junior State debates the resolution passes.
14. Select Best Speakers
Selecting the "Best Speaker" is done with
"Best Speaker Ballots." Best Speaker Ballots
should not be distributed until both speakers have
finished their closing speeches. Briefly run through
the names of everyone who spoke during the de-
bate. Ask the speakers to stand. Don’t waste
time asking them to come to the front. Remind
the audience that the best speaker is not neces-
sarily the person they agreed with, but rather the
person they felt gave the best speech. Collect
the ballots and tally them up.
15. Inform the Debate Coordinator/ Director
of Debate of all the results
Either by using the sheet attached to the
back of this packet or some other paper, inform
the person in charge of debates the exact vote, if
any amendments were made, and the best
speaker. If you moderated a chapter debate, you
and your Chapter President might want to get the
results published in the school newspaper.
that someone calls ‘division’ (meaning that they
think the outcome is not clear), a hand vote should
be taken. Abstentions count as if the people did
not vote at all.
For a brief list of many common motions
in parliamentary debate turn to the Robert’s Rules
of Order Reference Chart in the back of this book.
Here we will explain a few of the more common
motions.

Previous Question
As explained before, this motion means
that debate will end and the closing speeches will
begin leading to a vote. This requires a second
and a 2/3rds majority to pass.
Extending Time
Technically, to extend a speaker’s time,
one must first make a motion to suspend the rules.
Often someone will say, “I move to suspend the
rules to extend the speakers time for ___ min-
utes.” This requires a second and a 2/3rds ma-
jority. Of course, the speaker can decline to speak
longer if (s)he wishes to. Before a vote is taken,
the amount that the speaker’s time will be ex-
tended should be set (usually no more than 3 min-
utes.) NOTE: Opening and Closing speakers
may not have their time extended.
Amending the Resolution (changing the word-
ing)
This is rare in Junior State Debate, but is
still valuable to know. Someone should first sub-
mit an amendment to the moderator in writing
before rising to make the motion. Then, the chair
must recognize the person making the motion
(give them permission to speak) This motion (the
amendment) is then debated. The author of the
amendment usually gives the first speech in fa-
vor of amending the resolution (3 minutes.) Then
a subsequent speaker speaks against amending
the resolution (also for 3 minutes.) This contin-
ues until someone makes a motion for previous
question on the amendment. After the previous
question passes, the moderator conducts a vote
on whether or not to amend the resolution. A
simple majority is needed. If it passes, debate
now continues on the new resolution as amended.
If the motion fails, debate continues on the old
resolution. To see a full version of this (where the
amendment fails) ask to borrow the Junior State
Debate Video.
Point of Order
If someone realizes that the moderator
made a mistake, they can rise to a point of order
and correct you. If this happens and they are cor-
rect, politely thank them for and correct your mis-
take. Arguing with them or feeling embarrassed
will not help, and people will gain a lot of respect
for someone brave enough to admit they were
wrong.
7
Moderator Handbook
You, as moderator, rule on every point of
order. If a member disagrees with the decision of
the chair, they may appeal to that decision. After
this appeal (motion) is seconded, the chair (mod-
erator) states his/her reason for the decision and
puts the questions to a vote. “Shall the decision
of the chair stand?” Those who agree with the
chair vote “aye”, those who oppose say “nay”. It
takes a majority to sustain the chairs decision.
Point of Personal Privilege
If someone feels somewhat uncomfort-
able during the debate, they can rise to a point of
personal privilege. This can happen even during
someone’s speech. The complaints might include
not being able to hear the speaker or the tem-
perature of the room.
Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
If someone needs to ask a question about
the parliamentary procedure going on, they can
rise to a point of parliamentary inquiry. The mod-
erator then answers the person’s question.
VOTING ON MOTIONS
A good moderator always has a sense of
what the audience is thinking and feeling. He or
she should be able to predict which motions will
pass, which motions will fail, and which motions
the audience is divided over.
In the interest of time, most procedural
motions during the debate should be resolved with
a voice vote. As moderator, you should quickly
and confidently announce the results of the voice
vote. Take a hand count after the voice vote only
if someone in the audience calls for “division”.
Using voice votes in this method will keep the de-
bate flowing - you will spend more time on debat-
ing the issue and less time on procedural mo-
tions.
Appendix A

SOME SITUATIONS & WHAT TO DO

of order and not appropriate for a JSA de-
1. Audience member seems to be mak-
bate.
ing a statement instead of asking a question.
You have the power to take away the
Remind the audience that the questions
speaker's remaining time and ask that
cannot be little speeches; they must be
person to return to their seat OR you may
questions.
give the speaker a warning and let them
continue speaking while telling them that
Rule the audience member our of order
you will stop their speech again if more
and move to the next question.
inappropriate comments are made.
2. Main speaker goes overtime
6. Tie Vote
Tell them nicely to “Sum Up”.
As moderator, you can vote and break the
Politely ask them to end and sit.
tie.
3. The audience is too noisy
If you choose not to vote, a tied vote means
the motion fails.
Tap your gavel on the table and ask the
audience to be quiet.
7. Certain audience members are being
disruptive.
Ask the current speaker to stop and in-
struct the timekeeper to stop timing. Get
Between speakers, tell the distruptive
control of the audience and wait until they
people that their behavior is not accept-
are quiet. Don't let the speaker resume
able. You can interrupt the speaker if the
(and the timekeeper as well) until the au-
audience member(s) cause a serious dis-
dience is silent.
ruption.
Remind them that they need to have re-
You have the power to tell disruptive people
spect for the speaker as they would ex-
to leave the room OR you may give them
pect if they were speaking.
a warning. Let them know that they are
welcome to stay and be positive contribu-
tors to the debate, and remind them that
4. Questioner is arguing with debater
you will ask them to leave the room if their
disruptive behavior continues.
Interrupt the exchange. Remind the audi-
ence and the questioner that “follow-up
Don't let disruptive behavior go unad-
questions are not allowed. If the ques-
dressed. The speaker and audience mem-
tioner has a statement to make, the ques-
bers who are trying to listen EXPECT YOU
tioner must give a subsequent speech.”
to keep control and are waiting for you to
Then call on a new questioner.
do something. Doing nothing will disap-
point the majority of audience and doesn't
5. A speaker uses profanity, insults an-
allow for speakers' opinions to be clearly
other speaker or member of the audience, or
heard.
is generally out of line and/or offensive.
8. Speaker is not loud enough
Interrupt the speaker. Tell the speaker that
their language and/or comments are out
Ask him/her to speak louder.
8

If there is a microphone, make sure that it
is close enough to the speaker.
9. There is lots of time remaining, but no
one wants to give a subsequent speech.
Entertain a motion to caucus for 2 or 3
minutes so that audience members can
gather their thoughts and prepare a
speech. The main debaters can give au-
dience members ideas for a speech.
After a caucus, if there are still no volun-
teers for a subsequent speech, let the
main speaker to give a subsequent
speech.
10. The speaker seems to be speaking on
the wrong side of the debate.
Politely interrupt the speaker. Let them
know which side of the resolution they are
supposed to be speaking on and ask if their
speech supports the correct side of the
debate. (Listen carefully first to ensure
that the speaker isn't attempting to use
sarcasm to make a point.)
If they confirm that their speech supports
the correct side of the debate, let them
continue.
If the speaker is indeed speaking on the
wrong side of the debate, ask the speaker
SOME ALTERNATIVE STYLES OF DEBATE
While the most common format for a de-
bate is the Parliamentary Style (the one previously
outlined) many people find that adding the occa-
sional alternative style to a debate can spice to
topics and offer a new perspective to many lis-
teners. Here is only a brief outline of a few of the
many alternative styles. If you are asked to mod-
erate one of these, or are planning one yourself,
ask an experienced debater all of the specifics.
Cross-Examination Debate
This is designed to make the Parliamen-
9
Moderator Handbook
to return to their seat and call on them for
the next speech on the appropriate side of
the debate. Call another speaker on the
correct side of the debate and give them
the full subsequent speech time.
Some Hints...
1. Remain seated during the debate as much
as possible. Try not to disturb the speaker. Set a
good example by paying attention to him/her. If
you need to talk to the other speaker(s) try hand-
ing them inconspicuous notes.
2. Know the basics of Parliamentary Proce-
dure (The Robert’s Rules Table) Keep the table
on you for reference.
3. Practice hypothetical debate situations
beforehand (motions, questions, etc.).
4. Watch other moderators in action. Try to
learn from their strengths and weaknesses and
learn from your own as well. No one is perfect,
especially when they are new at it.
5. Try to relax and have fun. Moderating is a
big job, but no one is going to be angry if your
debate isn’t flawless. People will admire you for
having the guts to try what they likely wouldn’t. Be
rational and calm and all will go fine.
tary debate more interesting. This style offers the
two sides a small amount of time to question each
other.
1. Affirmative Opening Speech; 6 minutes
2. Negative Cross-Examines Affirmative; 2
minutes, questions included.
3. Negative Opening Speech; 6 minutes.
4. Affirmative Cross-examines Negative; 2
minutes, questions included.
5. Subsequent Speeches; 3 minutes each
6. Negative Closing; 3 minutes
Appendix A
7. Affirmative Closing; 3 minutes
This debate follows the same rules as the regular
Parliamentary debate with a few exceptions:
1. Follow-Up questions by one speaker
cross-examining the other are allowed.
2. The Speaker may yield (give up) his/her
time to ask questions but may not refuse to an-
swer the opponent's questions.
3. There are no cross-examinations of sub-
sequent speeches, but a subsequent speaker
may yield his/her time to questions from the floor.
4. The Cross-Examination time includes the
questions and answers.
5. If the main speaker finishes his opening
debate before his/her 6 minutes is over, they may
take questions from the audience, but they still
are required to go through the cross-examination.
6. During the Cross-Examination period, the
questioner has control.
Cross-Fire Debate
This style of debate is both very hard and
very interesting. It requires a skilled experienced
moderator who is knowledgeable regarding the
subject of the debate. The Cross-Fire format ba-
sically changes the very structure of the parlia-
mentary debate into a ‘problem-solving’ like for-
mat. The time limits are loosely set and the mod-
erator may choose to let them go here and there.
Although it is important to maintain some amount
of decorum at this sort of debate, often the more
people involved and excited the better. This is the
basic format.
1. Moderator Introduction; 5 minutes
2. Affirmative Introduction; 5 minutes
3. Negative Introduction; 5 minutes
4. Moderator Questions Debaters; 6
minutes
5. Affirmative Rebuttal; 3 minutes
6. Negative Rebuttal; 3 minutes
7. Audience Participation; 1 minute
8. Debater Response to Audience; 1 minute
9. Audience responds to Debater; 2 minutes
10
Repeat steps 7-9 until Previous Question
Passes...
10. Negative Closing Speech; 3 minutes
11. Affirmative Closing Speech; 3 minutes
Three of the main differences between the
parliamentary style of debate and the cross-ex-
amination is the audience participation, the
moderator’s participation, and the use of 2 debat-
ers on each side of the resolution. (2 affirmative
and 2 negative) This means that a great deal of
planning ahead of time is required.
Here are some tips for making a Cross-
Fire Debate run smoothly:
1. The moderator introduction should involve
some background on the topic as well as a brief
explanation of the format that the cross-fire uses.
2. The opening speeches are the same as
in a parliamentary debate.
3. During the 6 minute moderator question-
ing Period:
a) The moderator asks 3 questions to each
team
b) They have approximately 30-45 seconds
to answer each question.
4. Each team should use their 3 minute re-
buttal to comment on their opponents arguments
and opinions.
5. Steps 9-11 (above) are repeated until the
previous question:
a) The moderator recognizes an audience
member to make a statement or question a team
of debaters for 1 minute.
b) The debaters who the comment was di-
rected toward has 1 minute to react to the au-
dience member’s comment.
c) The same audience member has 2 min-
utes to respond to the response.
6. Once previous question is passed the de-
bate concludes with the Negative Closing then the
Affirmative Closing (3 minutes each).
 TABLE OF MOST FREQUENTLY USED MOTIONS
MAY MOTION
NAME OF THE PURPOSE OF MOTION BE MADE IF A DOES MOTION IS MOTION VOTE NEEDED
MOTION TO USE 1 SPEAKER IS NEED A SECOND? DEBATABLE? TO PASS THE
RECOGNIZED? MOTION?

RISE TO A POINT OF To correct an error in Yes No No Decision of

ORDER 2 parliamentary procedure the moderator

RISE TO A POINT OF To make a personal request Yes No No Decision of

PERSONAL PRIVILEGE 2 during the proceedings the moderator

RISE TO A POINT OF To ask a question about Yes No No Decision of

PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY 2 the proceedings the moderator

TO ADJOURN 3 To dismiss the meeting No Yes No Majority

TO RECESS OR To pause the meeting for No Yes Only the Majority

CAUCUS 3, 4 a specified length of time length of time

TO SUSPEND THE RULES 3 To take action contrary to No Yes No 2/3rds

any established rule

11
TO EXTEND SPEAKER’S To take action contrary to No Yes Only the 2/3rds
TIME 3, 5, 7 the pre-set time limits length of time

TO CALL THE PREVIOUS To stop debating the reso-

QUESTION ON RESOLU- lution (or amendment) and No Yes No 2/3rds
TION (OR AMENDMENT) 3 go to the closing speeches

TO AMEND 3, 6 Modify or change resolution No Yes Yes Majority

MAIN MOTION OR To introduce business or No Yes Yes Majority

RESOLUTION present a resolution

Notes:
1. The higher a motion appears on this chart, the higher its priority or importance. Deal with the higher motions before the lower ones.
2. The top three motions are matters of procedure to keep the debate running smoothly. The moderator immediately decides on the needed action.
3. The remaining motions are matters of routine to help accomplish the group’s wishes during the debate. They require the assembly’s vote to adopt.
4. Calling for a caucus may be adopted only once per debate for a maximum of a 5-minute recess.
5. This motion may be adopted only once per speaker for a maximum of a 1 minute extension. A speaker who is using time yielded by another speaker may not have an extension.
6. Amending a resolution may be made only with prior notice to the assembly (to allow time to prepare) and requires approval by both main speakers.
Moderator Handbook

7. In JSA debates, this motion may only be used for subsequent speakers. It may not be used solely to allow for more questioning time. It may only be recognized once
the speaker's time has expired.
 Appendix A
Moderator's Organization Sheet
Resolved, ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Moderator's Name:______________________________ School:____________________________

For Use At Junior State Conventions Main Speakers:

This debate was held:
Pro:_________________________________
Block #______ (name)
____________________________________
Room Name__________ (school)

Con:_________________________________
(name)
____________________________________
(school)

Voting Results: Pro________ Con__________ Abstentions____________ PASS FAIL (circle one)

Best Speaker: _______________________________ School:_______________________________

The Standard JSA Debate Procedure Subsequent Speakers:

(Please list name and school)
1. Call the Debate to Order
2. Read the resolution Pro:
3. Introduce the Main Speakers
4. Appoint a timekeeper 1.______________________________________
5. Affirmative Opening Speech 2.______________________________________
6. Negative Opening Speech 3.______________________________________
7. Select Subsequent Speakers 4.______________________________________
(Alternating pro and con) 5.______________________________________
8. Motion to call the previous question 6.______________________________________
9. Negative closing speech
10. Affirmative Closing Speech Con:
11. Read the resolution again
12. Take a vote on the resolution 1.______________________________________
13. Announce the result of the vote 2.______________________________________
14. Pass out Best Speaker ballots
3.______________________________________
15. Announce the names of all of the
4.______________________________________
main and subsequent speakers
16. Collect and tally best speaker ballots 5.______________________________________
6.______________________________________
12
 WHAT
IS
THE
JUNIOR
STATE?
Around the nation, a group of high
school students is learning that you
can fight city hall. These students
are working hard to make their
voices heard over the apathetic,
cynical grumbling so often heard in
high school hallways. These stu-
dents care about the direction our
country is headed and about daily
worldwide events that shape their
lives. Soon, these students will lead
the nation and they are getting a
head start in making their voices
heard. These students are mem-
bers of The Junior State of America
(JSA). Since The Junior State was
founded in 1934, over 500,000
students have gained an apprecia-
tion of the American system of law
and democratic government and
have gained hands-on experience
by running their own organization.
JUNIOR STATE CHAPTERS
Students participate in the Junior
State by joining a chapter at their
high school. JSA chapters are the
center of nonpartisan political ac-
tivity and awareness on campus.
Chapters are active on campuses
across the United States and in in-
sular areas in the Pacific and Atlan-
tic. Typical chapter activities in-
clude student debates of contro-
versial issues, guest speakers,
mock trials, candidate debates, and
voter education and registration
drives. Each chapter elects its own
leaders who handle every detail of
the day-to-day running of the chap-
ter. Each chapter also has a
Teacher/Advisor who provides edu-
cational guidance and administra-
tive support.
JSA CONVENTIONS
Chapters can participate in day-long Summer School admission is com-
Saturday conferences and weekend petitive based on academic
conventions featuring student de-
bates, informal discussions, simu-
lations and keynote addresses by
achievement, leadership and active
involvement in the community.
prominent public figures. JSA con-
ventions give students a chance to
debate the hottest topics of the day
Each summer, The Junior Statesmen
Foundation also offers several Sym-
posium Programs -- exciting explo-
with a diverse group of students. rations of leadership, politics
Junior State chapters, conferences
and conventions are run by high
and local or state government last-
ing from 3-6 days. Symposium
classrooms are government build-
school students. JSA Chapter, ings like the state capitol. Sym-
Regional, and State officers run ev-
ery aspect of these political aware-
ness events. By running their
posium faculty are outstanding
political and governmental leaders.
chapters, regional conferences and * * * *
state conventions, Junior State Students who participate in Junior
members learn the art of self-gov- State activities find them
ernment. By facing the challenges intellectually rewarding and
of planning and putting on their own challenging. And, JSA programs are
programs, students make decisions fun. By joining the Junior State, you
and see the consequences of those will be part of the largest student
decisions. The organization’s edu- run political organization of high
cational philosophy is that democ- school leaders in the world —
racy must be experienced to be today’s leaders and also
fully appreciated. tomorrow’s.
JUNIOR STATESMEN
SUMMER SCHOOL & SYMPOSIA
THE JUNIOR STATE OF AMERICA
Outstanding high school students
400 SOUTH EL CAMINO REAL, SUITE 300
are offered an advanced academic
SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA 94402
program at month-long Junior
(800) 334-5353 TOLL-FREE
Statesmen Summer School sessions
at Georgetown University in Wash-
1725 K STREET NW, SUITE 1214
ington, DC, Stanford University in
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006
the San Francisco Bay Area, Yale
(800) 317-9338 TOLL-FREE
University in Connecticut, Princeton
University in New Jersey and
JSA@JSA.ORG WWW.JSA.ORG
Northwestern University near Chi-
cago. The rigorous curriculum,
taught by outstanding university
professors, features AP and Honors
courses in American Government,
Economics, Comparative Govern-
ment, Constitutional Law, US For-
eign Policy, Elections, the Presi-
dency, Speech Communication, Po-
litical Communication and Public
Speaking and the Law. Congres-
sional-style student debates help
students develop excellent leader-
ship skills.
Each program features a high-level
speakers program bringing students
together with prominent politicians,
journalists and political thinkers.
Students at the Georgetown session
quiz speakers in the White House
and on Capitol Hill.
 The Junior State of America
400 South El Camino Real Ste #300 San Mateo, CA 94402
1725 K Street NW, Ste #1214 Washington, D.C. 20006
www.jsa.org

CHAPTER LEADERSHIP FORM

PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO THE JUNIOR STATE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY
The Junior State relies on effective communication. In order to get your chapter the information you
need to have a great year, we need have accurate information about the chapter leadership. If you
have not elected chapter officers yet, return this form anyway, with the name and address of the best
student contact at the school.

School Name:_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER PRESIDENT:

Name_________________________________________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________Apt #________________
City__________________________________________State__________Zip_______________
Phone (_________)_________________________Graduation Year_____________________
E-Mail_____________________________Cell Phone (_________)_____________________
____Official Chapter President ____Best Student Contact

TEACHER ADVISOR:
Name_________________________________________________________________________
School Address________________________________________________________________
City__________________________________________State__________Zip_______________
School Phone (______)______________________Home Phone (Optional)______________
E-Mail______________________________ Cell Phone (_________)______________________

OTHER CHAPTER OFFICERS:

For Southern California, Northern California, and Texas, please elect an Assembly Representative or Member of the House of Representatives:

Name_________________________________________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________Apt #________________
City__________________________________________State__________Zip_______________
Phone (_________)_________________________Graduation Year_____________________
E-Mail___________________________________ Cell Phone (_________)__________________
Office Held: ____ Assembly Representative ____ House of Representatives

Name_________________________________________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________Apt #________________
City__________________________________________State__________Zip_______________
Phone (_________)_________________________Graduation Year_____________________
E-Mail________________________________ Cell Phone (_________)_____________________
Office Held____________________________
RETURN TO: The Junior State of America, 400 S El Camino Real, Ste 300, San Mateo CA 94402
OR : The Junior State of America, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW, Ste 801, Washington D.C. 20036
 JUNIOR STATE OF AMERICA TAX FORM

SCHOOL NAME: ____________________________ DATE:_________________________

To start a JSA chapter at your school you will need the following:
* a minimum of 8 tax-paid student members listed on this form
* a Teacher-Advisor from your school
* school approval
* a chapter constitution (see example in handbook)
"Taxes" are the dues paid to join a chapter; $3.00 per member, per year. After the initial eight students
have joined, you may send in any number of additional members throughout the year, by mailing the
taxes and completed tax form to:

For the West Coast and Texas For the East Coast and Midwest
THE JUNIOR STATE OF AMERICA THE JUNIOR STATE OF AMERICA
400 S. EL CAMINO REAL, SUITE 300 1725 K St NW, Suite 1214
SAN MATEO, CA 94402 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006

CHAPTER PRESIDENT TEACHER/ADVISOR

(Must pay taxes as a regular member)

____________________________________ ___________________________________________
NAME NAME
_________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
HOME ADDRESS SCHOOL ADDRESS
_________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
CITY STATE ZIP CITY STATE ZIP
(________)________________________ ______________ (________)________________________________________________
HOME PHONE NUMBER GRADUATION YEAR SCHOOL PHONE NUMBER
__________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS E-MAIL ADDRESS

(________)_________________________________________ (________)________________________________________________
CELL PHONE NUMBER CELL PHONE NUMBER

TAX-PAID STUDENT MEMBERS (Chapter President's information goes first):

1. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

2. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

3. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

4. _________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

5. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number
TAX-PAID STUDENT MEMBERS FOR SCHOOL_______________________________________

6. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

7. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

8. _________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

9. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

10._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

11._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

12._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

13.________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

14._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

15._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

16._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

17._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

18._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

19._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

20.________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

USE ADDITIONAL COPIES AS NECESSARY - PLEASE FILL OUT COMPLETE ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS!
TAX-PAID STUDENT MEMBERS FOR SCHOOL_______________________________________

21._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

22._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

23._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

24._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

25._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

26._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

27._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

28._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

29._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

30._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

31._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

32._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

33._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

34._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

35._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

USE ADDITIONAL COPIES AS NECESSARY - PLEASE FILL OUT COMPLETE ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS!
TAX-PAID STUDENT MEMBERS FOR SCHOOL_______________________________________

36._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

37._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

38._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

39._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

40._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

41._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

42._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

43._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

44._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

45._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

46._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

47._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

48.________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

49._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

50._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name Address City State Zip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Year of Graduation Email Address Phone Number

USE ADDITIONAL COPIES AS NECESSARY - PLEASE FILL OUT COMPLETE ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS!
 The Junior State of America
PARENTAL PERMISSION FORM
WWW.JSA.ORG for more information
CALL (800) 334-5353 or (800) 317-9338 TO OBTAIN A CONVENTION BROCHURE
Parents: Please read this information carefully and review it with your child before signing.
Your child should have a very exciting educational experience at the upcoming Junior State event. He or she will have an opportunity to debate current issues. We hope you
have read the convention brochure, which lists the topics to be discussed. In advance of the event, your child should do some special reading to prepare for these debates and other
educational activities.

Once the event registration fee has been paid, we are not able to make any refunds. This policy is necessary because we have to make payments and guarantees many
weeks in advance of the event. We encourage paid delegates who find themselves unable to attend to find another student from their school to go in their place and have the new
delegate reimburse them for the registration fee.

Please review the convention rules with your son or daughter. By sending your child to the convention, you agree to pick him or her up if these rules are violated. Rule
violators are sent home and are reported to their school for appropriate disciplinary action. If you have any questions about the rules, travel arrangements, or the educational
program, please call The Junior State office at 800/334-5353.

CONVENTION RULES
1. All rules for school field trips prevail. Use of illegal drugs or alcohol is not permitted. Students also will be punished if they are in a room where drugs or alcohol are present.
The use of tobacco products is not allowed. To ensure these rules are obeyed, the Teacher-Advisor and The Junior Statesmen Foundation must approve the attendance of each
delegate. We reserve the right to deny any student the privilege of attending the event.

2. At 8 p.m., students will meet with their Teacher-Advisor for roll call and may not leave the hotel thereafter. At curfew, Teacher-Advisors will check delegates at their rooms.
Delegates must remain quietly in their own rooms after curfew. Pizza deliveries and room service deliveries are not permitted after curfew. Delegates also are required to meet
with the Teacher-Advisor at other designated times.

3. Delegates must attend all conference activities.

4. At no time may young men and women be in each others' rooms.

5. Delegates may not leave the convention hotel without the permission of their Teacher-Advisor. During meal times, with their Teacher-Advisor's permission, delegates may
leave the hotel to eat in designated areas. Under no circumstances are delegates to leave the hotel after 8:00 p.m.

6. Delegates must wear their name tags above the waist in a visible location at all times.

7. All students assigned to a room are responsible for any charges made to the room. All students assigned to a room are also responsible for the condition of the room. No
outside phone calls can be made from student hotel rooms. Room service and other items may not be charged to a students room. No delegate may change rooms without the
permission of The Junior Statesmen staff members at the event. The hotel staff will house four students in each room with two large double beds.

8. No student may drive a car to the convention or ride in a student driven car during the convention.

9. Visitors are not allowed in the convention hotel. Delegates are not allowed to associate with any visitor who is not an official guest of the Junior Statesmen program.

10. Students are expected to dress appropriately. Delegates should respect the rights of other hotel guests and not do anything to damage the reputation of the Junior Statesmen
program. Students must not open or throw anything out of windows. Students must stay off balconies.

11. Students should not bring expensive items to the convention. Valuable items must be stored in the hotel safe or with the bellmen. The Junior State/The Junior Statesmen
Foundation are not responsible for items stored in a luggage storage area. No large radios or portable stereos are allowed.

12. Delegates or delegations that are sent home for conduct problems will not receive a refund.

13. Delegates and their parents agree that The Junior State may use any photographs taken during the convention for promotional purposes.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree to abide by all of the Junior State convention rules under the terms described on this permission form. I understand that in the event
of a serious violation of the rules, my parents and my school will be notified, and I may be sent home at my own expense without a refund.
X __________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ ________________________
Student Signature Print Name Date

I agree to the terms described on this permission slip and give my child permission to attend the Junior State convention under those terms.
The Junior Statesmen Foundation has my permission to obtain emergency medical treatment for my child at my expense.
X__________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _________________________
Signature of Parent or Guardian Print Name Date

EVENT_________________________________________________________________________________ HIGH SCHOOL_______________________________

STUDENT NAME____________________________________________________________________ SEX: ____MALE ____FEMALE (check one)

ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CITY_____________________________________________________________________________________ STATE_________________ ZIP_____________

YEAR OF GRADUATION_____________ HOME TELEPHONE ( )__________________________ CELLPHONE ( ) ________________________

EMAIL___________________________________________________________EMERGENCY PHONE # ( )_____________________________________

 Sample letter to Convention Delegates from a JSA Chapter President.

Dear Chapter Member:

Veteran JSA’ers and JSA newbies, I would like to brief you on the Do’s and Don’ts of the JSA
Convention

Packing: First of all our Chapter prides itself on being a group of professional and intellectual
students, and we are well noted for that. The convention dress code requirements are that of
formal/business attire.

For Guys, that means a suit. Dress shirt, tie, slacks, dress shoes, and a suit jacket preferred;
(slacks and button down shirt are the minimum). Because this is a two day convention, I
recommend you bring one suit. If you have a spare and want to have a different one for the
second day, then go ahead and bring two. However remember that the more you take the harder
it is to fit and the more baggage you’ll have.

For the Ladies, business apparel is a requirement. Usually a women’s business suit works
perfectly. If you don’t have a business suit, then I recommend a black (or other color) knee
length skirt (make sure the slit on the side isn’t too deep), and a white or colored blouse. I
recommend women’s dress shoes, unless you want to be a trooper and walk around all day going
from block to block wearing heels.

Saturday evening is a social period, so you will want to bring a change of clothing, something
you’d wear every day to school, or to a school event. JSA does have a dance and other social
events Saturday night, so dress appropriately. School dress code will be in effect for the social
portion of the JSA night events.

Also make sure you pack something to sleep in. Pajamas, comfortable sweats, baggy tee-shirt,
or whatever you wear to sleep. Remember, that you should not wear tennis shoes or flip flops
when we are in the business session of the JSA convention. It’s always a good idea however, to
pack a set of comfortable shoes for the social portion of the day.

Remember to pack toiletries as well. Deodorant, toothbrush and past, shampoo, soap, lotion,
contact solution, brushes, combs, gel, hairspray, and feminine hygiene products. You need it;
you bring it.

Expensive jewelry and electronics are to be brought at your own risk. If you loose it, or leave it
behind somewhere, JSA, and our chapter, nor the hotel will assume responsibility.

Money for Food and Memorabilia: are a must. All meals will be paid for by you the
individual. There will be a flux in price ranges for places to eat. There will be a fast food
restaurants near by, and more expensive hotel restaurants or special JSA menu items from the
hotel. All students will be allowed to choose where to eat, as long as they do not go by
themselves. All delegates must travel in pairs for their safety.
Spending differs on the bases of the individual’s spending habits. A delegate is strongly
recommended to bring $35.00 - $50.00 for eating purposes.

Transportation: will be done though our Chapter. Saturday morning all delegates will be at the
convention hotel by 9:15 a.m. for registration/check in. Please be on time. If our chapter
arranges transportation by bus or by carpool you will be notified of the time and place to meet on
Saturday morning and a time and place to be picked up on Sunday. Remember no students are
allowed to drive to the convention or they will be sent home. Conferences are known to end
early and sometimes late. Please be flexible for the Sunday pick up.

Rooms: will be assigned before the convention. There will be no member of the opposite
gender allowed at any given time in any of the delegate’s rooms. Violation of this school and
JSA rule will result in a report filed to the school administration and being sent home
immediately from the JSA program. The rooms will have two queen size beds, and four
delegates will share a room.

Supervision: will be handled by Mr. Jones, our Teacher/Advisor who will be accompanying our
delegation and chaperoning us over the weekend. Because our delegation is so large, other
teachers from the school, Ms. Smith, Mr. Johnson, and Ms. White, will also be with us the entire
time. During the weekend, we’ll meet as a group and check in with our advisor at lunch and
dinner on Saturday, after dinner at the Chapter Caucus on Saturday evening where JSA requires
that a roll call be taken, Sunday morning before the first activity block when we have to turn in
our room keys, and right after closing session. Yes, there is a curfew and bed checks at 12:15
a.m. after the dance on Saturday night – we all need to in our rooms and stay in our rooms until
morning. JSA and our school are very serious about the rules listed on the permission slip, so
READ them and DON’T BREAK them!

During the day: the debates, thought talks and other activities are the best part of JSA. While
you aren’t forced to make a speech, give it a try! It makes the convention more fun for you and
all the JSA’ers are really supportive. Make sure to pick one activity in each “activity block” to
attend – we can’t just hang out in the lobby all day.

Hopefully this letter will have addressed all questions and concerns. If there was something not
addressed by this letter, please contact me or our Teacher/Advisor

Chapter President Information Teacher/Advisor Contact Information

Home # School Phone #
Cell # Email Address
E-mail address

Sincerely,

Your JSA Chapter President