Platform
Executive
JSA can only reach its full potential under the right leadership, which is why it is so important to make sure our Executive Cabinet is working efficiently. The Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor all have specific roles and responsibilities that they should hold each other accountable to.
Due to the effective structure of individual director calls last year, I plan to continue the same format. Each executive will be in charge of three departments and have individual department calls with them. Then at the end of the week, the executives should have a meeting to share the information and update each other, making sure everyone is informed of what is happening!
Chief of Staff
Leads cabinet bonding
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Monthly cabinet bonding calls
Fosters interdepartmental collaboration
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Constantly in contact with the directors of different departments, ensuring each department is helping each other to the best of their ability.
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Schedule more calls involving multiple chapters separate from director-all-calls
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A lot of time, multiple departments are working on different facets of the same issue. Therefore, by having an interdepartmental call, collaboration, communication, and efficiency are all boosted.
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These calls should include specialists as well as opposed to just the directors.
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Host “Study Centers”
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Study Centers are calls where directors and/or specialists can come to finish up any assignments that may involve collaboration with another department. Study Centers allow departments to easily communicate and finish their work in a timely manner.
Lieutenant Governor
Leads cabinet initiatives
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Make sure individual departments meet deadlines.
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Supdates!
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Supdates are email threads where cabinet members respond with what they worked on, what they plan to work on, and a high and low of the week (non-JSA related).
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FEC Emphasis
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The Lieutenant Governor should be willing to dedicate more time and energy during Election season.
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It is of utmost importance that the Elections in the ORV are fair to the delegates, cabinet members, and fellow candidates.
CoCP Involvement
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In previous years, the CIA director has been the primary point of contact for anything chapter-related.
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I plan to have the Lieutenant Governor more involved in chapter assistance. This goes past just CoCP at conventions.
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The Lieutenant Governor should sit in on more CIA calls, contact more chapters on a regular basis, and constantly work on helping regressing chapters through specific department resources, chapter advice on what has worked in the past, more exposure at the state level, etc.
Governor
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First, I will manage a monthly calendar, listing all major timelines for both cabinet members and delegates ensuring that information does not get lost. This calendar should be publicized via Instagram and the ORV website!
Next, the Governor should forge the strength of cabinet from the bottom up. When many specialists or even directors take on their new role, they are very nervous about various factors. In order to optimize the efficiency of cabinet, all while making cabinet members truly enjoy their work, the Governor should make it clear that there is a relationship between exec and specialists, and that not everything needs to go through department directors. In the past, many department issues were buried because specialists did not know who to talk to; instead, specialists should feel free to contact exec members and address department issues quickly while still building confidence in their new role. The governor can ensure this through more sit-ins during department calls, more contacts with specialists through groupme, etc.
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Additionally, the Governor should have “Office Hours”. Essentially, delegates should be able to go to the ORV website and schedule meetings with the executive cabinet. This structure ensures that the Governor is truly by the people, for the people. These calls can have a wide range of purposes whether that be convention questions, general FAQs, chapter-specific concerns, or other reasons. During these calls, the Lieutenant Governor and Chief of Staff, if available, should join as well so there are multiple points of view to address whatever is being addressed.
The Governor should implement Issue Cards. Essentially, these cards are for chapters and cabinet members to use in order to publicize legislation and bring awareness to current issues in the states that the ORV encompasses. Because this involves multiple departments, this should be a responsibility of the Governor. The Activism department will start the initiative and have a central location to store them; the CIA and Expansion department will publicize these cards to chapters; the Convention department will publicize these cards at conventions; the Debate department will incorporate these issues into debates; the Media and Technology department will do all they can to publicize these cards online; the Outreach department will reach out to speakers that care about this issue. As outlined above, each department has their unique role in this ORV initiative, and I believe that it can truly enhance the JSA experience.
Last but not least, the Governor should hold Legislative Forums through zoom at least once a month. This is a year-long initiative that allows delegates to have a true, political experience. Between each meeting (forum), delegates have the opportunity to prepare letters to representatives of their state that can influence legislation, allowing delegates to have a voice in their state’s policies. With these letters prepared, delegates can then join the Legislative Forum through zoom. The actual forum is a place where delegates can get input from the Governor and any other cabinet members available to make any last second changes to their letter. Additionally, these forums are good brainstorming sessions for delegates to listen to and apply over the following month. After the forum meeting is over, the letters are mailed (or emailed) to legislators. This initiative is a way to take JSA to the next step, and empower its delegates.
The Governor is responsible for holding every cabinet member, regardless of position, accountable to their responsibilities. Additionally, the Governor should be aiding the Chief of Staff and Lieutenant Governor in their weekly duties and initiatives whether that be through brainstorming, sending emails, coordinating times between directors, etc.
So what is new about the position under me?
Chapters
JSA is nothing without you, the delegate. It is essential that chapters are able to receive the necessary information and help to prosper and engage in the full JSA experience.
Standardized Officers
In the coming year, chapters should have standardized positions aside from president and vice president such as an activism and debate director and a treasurer. This ensures that the central elements of JSA are maintained at both the chapter level as well as the state level. Past that, any other officer positions in a chapter are left to the chapter itself.
Chapter Pals!
Another important pillar for chapters to prosper is collaboration, or what I like to call, Chapter Pals! Individual chapters are in contact with nearby chapters to form groups of chapters. This group has meetings with each other occasionally, and should also attend some Chapter Internal Affairs meetings together! They are there to help one another whether that be brainstorming publicity ideas, planning events together, or just figuring out the logistics to attend a convention! This is the best way for chapters to help themselves and each other. Inside Chapter Pal groups, it is important to always have a diversity of chapters, meaning it shouldn’t be all big chapters or all chapters with similar problems. By having a good mix of chapters, problems are addressed more efficiently. For example, if a chapter is having trouble with member retention, another chapter who has had that problem in the past can advise them on what worked in the past.
Calendar Overview
Next, it should be a point to go over the monthly calendar at the beginning of every month to make sure all delegates and chapters are aware of what is going on!
Feedback
I want to hear from you! As Governor, I plan to implement a variety of feedback forms; chapters should take full advantage of these. This is how we, as cabinet, can address the needs of the people. This also ensures that chapters and delegates are receiving personalized assistance instead of very general solutions that might not make effective progress.
Activism
A central pillar of JSA is activism; delegates need to be aware of these opportunities and get involved in the community. Through activism, delegates are empowered to make a difference.
Activism Form
First and foremost, delegates should be able to submit their input on activism initiatives/ideas to execute. This way, the Activism department knows what chapters would like to see.
Chapter Projects
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Chapters should be able to submit event ideas. With the help of the department, chapters can head the event, providing a way for chapters to get more involved in the state and boosting chances for winning chapter of the year!
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Multiple chapters can work together to create a grand project!
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Furthermore, the Activism department, with the help of the Outreach department, should also reach out to nearby organizations and incorporate these organizations into chapter projects.
Activism Guide
Next, the Activism department should make and publicize an activism guide at the beginning of the year detailing all the aspects of activism and how individual delegates can get involved. The Activism department should also work closely with the CIA department to make sure this guide and any other activism resources are sent to chapters.
Activism Calendar
The Activism department should create a monthly calendar of activism events with details that chapters and delegates can participate in. This makes sure the ORV is informed on what is happening and is able to get involved with the community!
Online Activism Challenges
Furthermore, we should implement online activism challenges! These challenges encourage members to take action in creative ways. For example, a “Take a Stand for ___” challenge where members create their own videos, graphics, or maybe even edits that bring awareness to the issue at hand while incentivizing activism. The winner of these challenges can receive special recognition through the ORV Instagram and website.
Chapter Internal Affairs
Chapter Internal Affairs (CIA) builds the foundation of the ORV at the chapter level and empowers the delegates. The CIA department is how we emphasize opportunities and events in the ORV to individual chapters, especially when engagements and sign-ups are low. It takes a village to get chapters engaged, and the CIA department is at the forefront of that.
Chapter Pal Calls
On top of the individual chapter calls already in place, the CIA department should have group calls with Chapter Pal groups to make sure there is intra-group assistance and communication. This is a way to maximize chapter growth.
Transition Times
The CIA department should ensure that chapter elections happen earlier in the year (January - February). This not only creates a sense of stability by being aware of your chapter officers for the upcoming year, but it also allows the chapter officers to shadow their predecessors, allowing them to build the leadership skills necessary to make the chapter prosper.
Personalized Assistance
Finally, the CIA department should not only rank chapters as poor, strong, etc., but should also include specific details on what the chapter is lacking. All this information should be in a central spreadsheet. This way, it is easier to standardize resources to send to chapters based on what they are weak in; moreover, it is a good way to make sure chapters are receiving personalized help. Throughout this whole process, CIA should ensure that the chapter feels connected to cabinet and the state as a whole - isolated chapters only stay stagnant while connection cultivates bigger and better growth.
Convention
The backbone of convention of JSA is conventions. Conventions are where delegates meet each other, make meaningful memories, and truly fall in love with the organization. Therefore, conventions and other JSA events need to have a special element that enhances the delegate experience.
Feedback Form
The Convention department should stay on top of and execute feedback from post-convention survey forms to make sure delegates are being heard.
Enhancing the Convention
At the convention itself, the Convention department should always add a new block, something that delegates are excited to try. An example could be a “helpathon” block where there is a fake political scenario and teams brainstorm a solution and present it. The winner of said block could get some type of recognition similar to a best speaker gavel. The important part is that there is always something that enhances the convention and raises it above the base level.
Tennessee and Kentucky
Furthermore, the Convention Department should hold more events in the Tennessee and Kentucky area to increase engagement in that area and assist in expansion efforts. If other people see JSA events happening more and more in that area, they will be more interested in participating and becoming a part of the ORV! This includes minicons with chapters in that region, a big convention that shifts down in location, any competitions outside of conventions, etc.
One-Days
Finally, the Convention department should increase overall chapter engagement by holding more frequent online events/one-days that are accessible and themed. This is separate from mini-conventions. The purpose is to have more events for delegates to participate in instead of occasional conventions and grow connections between chapters. These events will only be four to five hours. My goal is to have at least one of these events once a semester.
Debate
The number one thing delegates expect at conventions is a lively debate that they can engage in. The Debate department must do the best they can to ensure delegates get what they expect, and more!
Debate Resources
The Debate department should create guides for debating, moderating, thought talks, and other debate activities sent out early in the year so delegates can feel comfortable with engaging in debates during actual conventions. Furthermore, debate workshops and bill-writing workshops during and outside of conventions need to happen frequently so delegates feel informed about the debate processes in JSA.
Back-Up Speakers
When sending out debate sign-up forms, the Debate department should also include a section for a back-up speaker/moderator. At many past conventions, speakers and moderators canceled at the last minute and cabinet members were forced to debate, unprepared. To resolve this, there should be back-up speakers and moderators who are ready to go if need be.
Convention Duty
To enhance the convention experience, the debate department should try a new debate block or format at conventions. This requires heavy collaboration with the Convention department. This gets delegates more interested in the convention; there is always something new to try instead of the traditional format every time.
Expansion
JSA always has the potential to grow; the Expansion department is in charge of making sure this happens. There should always be an influx of chapters in the ORV - that is how we can continually evolve and enhance JSA.
JSContact
The Expansion department should have a form available both on the ORV website and instagram that allows chapter officers to submit any contacts that want to start a JSA chapter. This idea could be turned into an inter-chapter contest: “JSContact”! Essentially, it is a year-long initiative where chapters submit contacts for new chapters. The winning chapter receives special recognition; also, this increases the chapter’s chance in winning chapter of the year!
Minicon Overdrive
Next, the Expansion department, with the help of the Convention department, should reach out to nearby schools during mini-convention periods and not only encourage them to start a chapter, but to attend the minicon! By attending the minicon, these news students can get a “demo” of what JSA is about, sparking their interest and increasing the chances for a new chapter.
Furthermore, the Expansion department should ensure there are joint-minicons happening between expansion chapters and stronger, established chapters to increase publicity of the lesser-known chapter and grow it!
Chapter Takeovers!
This idea is in close collaboration with the Media department. Each week, on the ORV instagram, a new chapter is featured with chapter superlatives such as best debater, best speaker, funniest debater, etc. The chapter members then repost this, making other people in the school more likely to join the chapter and friends of chapter members from different schools more likely to start JSA chapters! This will prove extremely effective to start and grow expansion chapters.
Joint Specialists with Media
This initiative brings together two vital aspects that create and sustain a chapter. A lot of the material Expansion works with (forms, posts, new chapter instagrams, etc.) goes through the Media department, but there is always a communication lag, which is no fault of either department. However, it can be streamlined by having joint specialists. These specialists would work on specific expansion pages and alleviate any delay between the two departments, allowing the optimal rate of growth for new chapters. After all, a main way to expand JSA is through the usage of media.
Fundraising
The Fundraising department is why JSA is able to keep going; they provide us with the funds to empower delegates and continue fulfilling JSA’s mission. Fundraising is at a great place, and it can be even greater with a few other elements.
Minicon Merch
The Fundraising department should have a presence beyond just big conventions; this can be done through minicons! By designing merch specific to themed minicons, not only does the minicon become more special to delegates, but funds can be raised a lot more frequently. Since these are minicons, the Fundraising department can design smaller merch items such as pins, stickers, posters, etc.
Outreach Grant Collaboration
In the current structure of cabinet, the Outreach department takes care of all grant emails. Instead, the two departments should work together so that emails can be sent out more efficiently, there is more planning behind which grants to pursue, and each department is aware of what the grant money is needed for.
Competition Craze
The Fundraising department should organize tournaments/contests both within and outside of conventions. Ideas for potential tourneys include:
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Chapter competitions - during convention
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Karaoke competition - evening activities
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Spikeball tournament - evening activities or outside of convention
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Rap battle tournament - evening activities
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Craft competition - evening activities or outside of convention
In these competitions, there is an entry fee of $5 - $10 with 20% of proceeds going into the prize pool for the first, second, and third place winners! This idea gives delegates a competitive experience and benefits the whole ORV!
Chapter Transportation
The Fundraising department, with the help of executive cabinet and the CIA department, should ensure chapters have transportation to and from conventions and figure out what cabinet can do to alleviate the financial burden on chapters.
Treasurer Tourney
There is no reason that all of the fundraising responsibilities of the ORV fall on one department. Instead, we can share this across the chapters as well through the Treasurer Tourney! In this tourney, the treasurer of each chapter will raise as much as they can through drives, outreach, competitions, etc. The winner will receive special recognition and have more of a chance to win chapter of the year! This process alleviates some of the issues the Fundraising department has when helping chapters.
Media
The Media department is responsible for spreading JSA updates and initiatives across media platforms and engaging delegates. Many of the resources we have would be useless if not for the work of this department! With a few minor changes, we can truly grow the reach and efficiency of the Media department.
Outlet Expansion
Currently, the Media department mainly uses instagram to publicize any documents or forms from cabinet. Although it gets the job done, we can be a lot more effective by expanding to different outlets of media such as Tiktok, Facebook, Twitter, BeReal, etc. Not only does this allow any resources to be publicized better, but it also reaches a wider audience, enabling more people to hear about JSA and potentially join.
PeachJar
This point goes hand-in-hand with the last one. PeachJar is a platform that allows organizations or groups to send fliers to individual schools and those schools distribute the flier to all parents or high schoolers of the district through emails. This software is an extremely useful tool to reach out to a specific audience and gain publicity and support.
Recap Posts
Lastly, in order to keep chapters and delegates informed, the Media department should do a JSPost at the end of every month! Essentially, the post will detail what the ORV has accomplished that month as a whole, whether that be new chapters, streamlining resources, planning a minicon, etc. This initiative not only keeps everyone organized, but it also raises cabinet motivation to make progress and keep growing the ORV!
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Chapter Takeovers
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This idea is in close collaboration with the Expansion department. Each week, on the ORV instagram, a new chapter is featured with chapter superlatives such as best debater, best speaker, funniest debater, etc. The chapter members then repost this, making other people in the school more likely to join the chapter and friends of chapter members from different schools more likely to start JSA chapters! This will prove extremely effective to start and grow expansion chapters.
Technology
The Technology department is vital to making sure all of our digitized resources are available and that anything related to the ORV is in a central location, such as our website. By streamlining our online resources and implementing a couple, online initiatives, I know this department will play a major role in enhancing JSA and making active participation from delegates a lot smoother.
JStreams!
This initiative is a new way to get delegates involved in conventions. In a perfect world, everyone has the time and resources to make it to Fall State, Winter Congress, and Spring State. Unfortunately, there are many factors that contribute to delegates being unable to attend these big conventions. However, even if delegates are not directly there, we can still include them in the convention! By having the Technology department have more live stream options for debates, activism blocks, and other presentations, delegates can tune in from across the ORV and still take part in JSA!
Flickr
After a convention, every delegate wants to see the moments and memories made during those two days. By adding Flickr to the ORV website, delegates can check in and see all these memories. This also keeps convention pictures very organized and easy to access.
Website Updates
Although this has been a mission in the past, there has not been a consistent effort to make sure all of our resources are available and easy to access. Therefore, it is crucial that the Technology department not only updates the website with upcoming events, but also adds easy-to-find locations for our delegates to view any resources needed. The executive cabinet should also schedule calls with the Technology department on a regular basis to ensure this is happening.
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Photo Booth
A fun idea for the Technology department to implement at conventions is a photo booth! This idea not only makes memories, but also has easy access printing for delegates to keep the pictures with them.