chapters
As important as conventions are, chapters have always been the backbone of the Texas Junior State. At this level, students wmay not be able to attend conventions have an outlet to express their opinions on the issues that matter to them in an environment of their friends and peers. Here, new JSAers find the inspiration to delve deeper into our organization and find the spark that drives us as members of JSA to advance the ideas of democracy and civic engagement that we hold so dearly.
Chapter conferences are a great way for chapters to introduce new students to the concept of conventions. As governor, I will require regional mayors and administrators to oversee at least three chapter conferences over the course of the year. This will ensure every chapter has an opportunity to partake in a convention experience at the chapter level. I will enforce this by having mayors and administrators meet deadlines for reaching out to chapters within their region/county and beginning the process of coordinating chapter conferences.
The Council of Chapter Presidents (CoCP) has proven itself to be effective and useful over the past year for chapter presidents to share experiences and ideas with each other and help each other's chapters grow. However, the CoCP only meets at conventions. In addition to conventions, I plan to hold Chapter President video conference calls periodically throughout the year in order to increase inter-chapter communication and mutual benefit in the spans of time between conventions.
Chapters often remain uninvolved in state conventions and activities because they do not have the resources or information to take a more active role in the state. If elected, I will create and distribute guides to transitioning chapters into the world of the Texas Junior State. Such guides will have information on what cabinet is and how to apply, the mechanics and activities involved with state conventions, and the fundamentals of our organization.
Chapters also are known to experience a decline in meeting attendance just after conventions. I will address this by working with the debate department to create three separate debate banks for chapter meetings (one to be released after each major convention). This will provide chapters with fresh and interesting new debate topics throughout the school year.
Chapter conferences are a great way for chapters to introduce new students to the concept of conventions. As governor, I will require regional mayors and administrators to oversee at least three chapter conferences over the course of the year. This will ensure every chapter has an opportunity to partake in a convention experience at the chapter level. I will enforce this by having mayors and administrators meet deadlines for reaching out to chapters within their region/county and beginning the process of coordinating chapter conferences.
The Council of Chapter Presidents (CoCP) has proven itself to be effective and useful over the past year for chapter presidents to share experiences and ideas with each other and help each other's chapters grow. However, the CoCP only meets at conventions. In addition to conventions, I plan to hold Chapter President video conference calls periodically throughout the year in order to increase inter-chapter communication and mutual benefit in the spans of time between conventions.
Chapters often remain uninvolved in state conventions and activities because they do not have the resources or information to take a more active role in the state. If elected, I will create and distribute guides to transitioning chapters into the world of the Texas Junior State. Such guides will have information on what cabinet is and how to apply, the mechanics and activities involved with state conventions, and the fundamentals of our organization.
Chapters also are known to experience a decline in meeting attendance just after conventions. I will address this by working with the debate department to create three separate debate banks for chapter meetings (one to be released after each major convention). This will provide chapters with fresh and interesting new debate topics throughout the school year.