The idea for what is now known as the Junior State was first conceived by Professor E.A. Rogers, founder of the Montezuma Mountain School for Boys in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains in the early 1930s. An innovative educational philosopher and teacher, Prof. Rogers had long maintained that one of the primary needs of a democracy was to train its youth in the essentials of good government. He believed that without an informed populace, a democracy is worthless. Troubled by what he perceived as the corrosive effects the Great Depression was having on American democracy, Prof. Rogers responded with a challenge to his students to engage them in the issues of the day. The students resolved to, “make politics a noble profession,” and offer training in statesmanship and leadership. The training would be student-led and experiential, with students electing office holder and setting priorities. In 1934 he encouraged nearby schools to send delegations to a “Conference on Youth on American Ideals” and on November 9, 1934, founded The Junior Statesmen of America.

Paul Hrabal	Lisa Horvath Puckett
James Lintott	Rachel Kaganoff Stern & Eric Stern

Harris Seed is a Junior State Board Trustee and longtime benefactor of the Junior State. A 1943 JSA Summer School graduate at the Montezuma School for Boys, Mr. Seed, President of the Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation, awarded scholarship funds to thousands of JSA students who would not otherwise have been able to participate in the Junior Statesmen Summer School. As a result of these scholarship grants, the Junior State of America expanded into a national program and the Summer School program expanded to elite campuses across the country.

David Gray Carlson	Steve LaVoie	Joseph Sanberg
Chris Kelly	Lenny Mendonca

Jack Teeters, a 1948 JSA Summer School graduate at the Montezuma School for Boys,
played a pivotal role as executive director in the 1960s, helping the organization survive fiscal challenges. It was during his tenure that JSA first conducted the Summer School on the Stanford campus. Mr. Teeters continues to be an important benefactor to Junior State working with the benefactors who fund the annual Teacher-Fellow program at the Montezuma Conference.

Amy Heir Demske	Daniel and Bonnie Germain	Timothy Ingrassia
Alex Evans *	Louis Heinrich	Michael McCurry

Richard and Karen Prosser have impacted The Junior State more than any other individuals in the last half century. Richard Prosser served as Executive Director of the Junior Statesmen Foundation for nearly 40 years (1969-2007). He oversaw a massive expansion of JSA chapters across the United States, changing the organization from a California-based group with a couple dozen high schools to a nationwide movement of 600 high schools in 33 states. His message was clear to every student: that democracy works, that young people matter, and that every one of us can and should make a difference in the world. Karen, serving on staff from 1975 to present, personally oversaw a transformation in JSA’s summer school programs, expanding them from a few dozen students on one campus to as many as 1,000 students on six campuses. She also spearheaded the annual Montezuma Leadership Summit that develops the abilities of promising JSA student leaders. Because of Richard and Karen Prosser more than 10,000 students per year now participate in The Junior State, making it the largest student-run organization in the country.

Ranjit Ahluwalia	Donald P. Germain	June Thurber Paine *
Ann & David Archie	Julie Goldsmith	Richard and Karen Prosser
Dianne Chipps Bailey	Tor Gronberg	Matthew Randazzo *
Martin Barash*	Yuhong Gu	James and Diane Rogers
Scott Bekemeyer	Larry Guillemette	Estelle Saltzman *
Adele Chernekoff-Paulin	Jeff Harris *	David Schellhase
Sachin Desai	Michele and Glenn Havskjold	Maria Shim
Susan Solinsky Duryea & Paul Duryea	Elizabeth Hunter	Daniel Simpkins
Gary Fazzino *	Lucas Mageno	Robert Smith
Douglas J. Feith	Wally & Carol Marks	Peter & Helen Smith *
Marc Franklin	Edwin Meese *	Stephen Spitz *
Beth Freeman *	Mona Metwalli *	Marc Stridiron
Scott Garner *	Greg Miliotes	Susan Thurman *
Joan Garner *	Krista Murray	Dave Viotti *
Walter Garrett *	Jerry Newfarmer	Alex Weingarten
Anne Raby Gates	Ramona Nicholson

Nancy Wallace is a retired Teacher Advisor from Freehold Township High School in New Jersey. Though student-directed the Teacher Advisor role is critical to a successful Junior State civic engagement experience. Ms. Wallace is beloved by generations of students and exemplifies the characteristics of great teachers and JSA Teacher Advisors everywhere: kind, patient, wise and firm.

Maura Johnston Bellaria	James Katz	Shelby Notkin
Lorraine Stevens Brown	David and Judy Joss	Preeta Nayak
Bob Cain	Kevin Kay	Matt Patchell & Ruth Bernstein
Elaine Chapin *	Glen Kraemer	Helen Raiser
Karen V. Clopton	Rosemary Laberee	Will Riffle
Brian Collins	Catherine Langford	Janice Rutherford
Deborah Dodds	Ted Lempert	Kathy & John Salmanowitz
Jim Finsten	James Longhofer	Harris W. Seed *
Myra Firth	Deborah Lucas	Marc Singer
William Flumenbaum	Jay Maguire	Frank & Judy Solinsky
Crystal Frierson	Gary Meisel	Samuel Surloff
Greg Gallo	Scott and Sharon Miller	Benjamin van der Horst
Edmund Geller	Rob Moody	Amy Wender-Hoch
Andrew Green	Bonita Moore	Greg Wendt
John Guevara	Art Morgan	Peg Yorkin
Auren Hoffman	Edward Mullen
Daniel Hudkins	Edward Nahmias

The Montezuma Mountain Ranch School for Boys was founded in 1910 by Junior State founder Professor Ernest A “Prof” Roger in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco. It was at the Montezuma School that Prof Rogers’ ideas about democratic education and civic participation developed. Since 1988 the Montezuma Foundation has sponsored an annual leadership training retreat for young Junior State leaders that show great promise to make a positive impact on civil society.

Leonard M. Apcar	Brian Johnson	Steven Ramirez
Samantha Archie	Tessa Kaganoff	Bob Rapp
Jean Stern Atkinson	Ian Kalin	Ray Remy
James Bacon	Richard Kennon	Israel Rocha Jr.
Linda Helen Bennett	Yusuf Khapra	Hilton Romanski
Jennifer Bunn	Israel Klein	Neal Shenoy
Sandra Bunn	Enno Krebbers	Austin Silva
Jim Conklin	Brian Lazarus	Kevin Smith
Julia Curtis	Alanna Lee	Mark Uyeda *
Diane de Gramont	Sue Lempert	Karen Weinstein
Kathy Franklin	Peter LeVine *	Sean Welch
Ed Geller *	Michael Linick	Phillip Zabriskie
William Greif	John Lloyd	Shannon Scott Zerzan
Kitty Guptill	Ron Maroko
Aaron Jabbari	Meredith Morrison