You’ve seen the patriotic posters plastered on every wall in the school. You’ve witnessed the frantic (and entertaining) collecting of coins in candidate jars during lunch. You’ve probably even heard Maura Barry (’18) passionately ranting about this club to every single student she encounters.
The club in question: JSA, which stands for Junior Statesmen of America. JSA is the largest student run organization in the country. The goal of JSA is to civically engage high school students through debate, leadership, and activism. A common misconception that people make about JSA is that it’s just another debate club, but debating is just a small part of JSA. Students conduct thought provoking discussions on issues that impact us on a national and global scale.
JSA also offers the opportunity to travel to various colleges for summer programs. Of these colleges, students could attend Stanford University, Princeton University, Georgetown, and other prestigious universities.
One of the many reasons JSA is so unique is that there is always something for everyone to take part in. If you’re not super fond of speaking in public, you can be a publicity agent and take pictures to capture the moments. Or, you could help write up the debate resolutions and come up with topics for us to discuss. There is also the option of planning activities to engage and unite the entire school through the club! Think twice before you say JSA isn’t your cup of tea, because it contains many flavors that are bound to please. By joining this one of a kind club, you will be taking a stance for the betterment of this nation’s future as well as your own. As the JSA motto goes, Be the People.
JSA meetings are held every Tuesday after school in Madame Mann’s French room, rm 2033. Contact either Olga Boukhvalova ([email protected]) or Ravina Sachdev ([email protected] ) if you have any questions.