JSA – Junior State of America

The Junior State of America announced today that it will hold an “Election 2012 Conference” for high school students on October 20, 2012 at the University of Houston in partnership with the Hobby Center for Public Policy.

Balloons, banners, fiery speeches and heated debates will fill the conference halls of the University of Houston as high school students examine the candidates for President. Read the full story

The winner of the sixth annual National Civic Impact Award is Downey High School from Downey, Calif.  The National Civic Impact Award recognizes the JSA chapter that has had the biggest impact on increasing the level of civic awareness and engagement at their school.  Read the full story

The Henry Mayo Newhall Fund has awarded $50,000 over two years to Junior State of America (JSA) for expansion of its outreach efforts to Santa Maria Valley high schools for participation in its high quality civics education programs.

Funding received from the Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation will specifically be used to provide one full scholarship and eight partial scholarships to enable students in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District who would otherwise not be able to afford to attend JSA Summer School.    The primary public high schools in the area are Santa Maria High School, Pioneer Valley High School, and Ernest Righetti High School.

Rock Zieman, a JSA alumnus who graduated from St. Joseph High School in Santa Maria states that “My high school experience in Santa Maria was greatly enhanced by participating in Junior State of America.  JSA taught me how to stand up and be counted, to get off the sidelines and be part of our democracy.  I  had the good fortune of participating in the Washington DC Summer School at Georgetown.  The summer school gave me a front row seat to watch the wheels of our government turn.  It took me to the White House to see President Reagan, to the Capitol to meet with Congressional leaders, and to the Pentagon to meet top military brass.  All of a sudden, all the figures I had only read about in the headlines came to life in the flesh, thanks to JSA.  It’s had a profound impact on my life.  I am very glad that JSA will be returning to high schools in my hometown Santa Maria Valley, so this generation can have the same amazing opportunity I had.”

JSA Summer School offers a challenging, dynamic academic experience at three of the most prestigious universities in the world, Georgetown, Stanford, and Princeton.  JSA Summer School provides an advanced college curriculum, dynamic skills based leadership activities, and interactive sessions with prominent politicians, journalists, academicians and other opinion leaders.

The grant also provides for nine scholarships to JSA’s experiential and interactive speakers program-based Institute programs, including the California Institute on Politics and the Gene Burd Institute on Media and Politics.  The goal of the Santa Maria Valley Civic Engagement Program will be to allow a broad socio-economic spectrum of area students to attend these life-changing programs and return to their schools, families, and communities ready to be effective citizen leaders.

For more information, call 800-334-5353.

In keeping with JSA’s Spring State Convention theme – “Revolutionizing Democracy: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” – former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will deliver a keynote address and students will debate current political issues and the future of democracy around the world. Read the full story

Sen. Scott White Introduces Bill to Lower Voting Age for School Board Elections

For Immediate Release
For Information: Jesse Seidman — (206) 605-3061

Olympia, Wash., Feb. 7, 2011–On Monday, Jan. 31, Washington State Senator Scott White (D-46) introduced landmark legislation in Olympia that could give Washington State’s high school students far greater influence over their education. Read the full story