Junior State of America Announces Closure after 90 Years of Promoting Youth Civic Engagement
It is with a heavy heart that the Board of Directors of the Junior State of America (JSA) is announcing the closure and dissolution of the organization effective August 31, 2024. After 90 years of inspiring student engagement in civics and activism, and after long business considerations, we have made this difficult decision to officially close the organization.
Since its founding in 1934, JSA has empowered thousands of young leaders to develop a passion for public affairs, debate, and community involvement through hands-on civic programs. Our students have literally reached every level of government and helped shape the America we live in and enjoy today and tomorrow. Our mission to foster civic education and leadership among high school students has been at the core of everything we do – from providing high school chapter-based programming to 3-week-long summer civics programs. Together, we have created a legacy of open dialogue, spirited debate, informed citizenship, and a lifelong commitment to the democratic process.
While this chapter of JSA’s history is coming to an end, the impact of our organization will continue to resonate through the hundreds of thousands of lives touched by our programs. We know this decision will be hardest for our current students and staff as they have brought their dedication and JSA spirit to all our events – always ensuring that “all views lead here.” We are grateful for the dedication and support of our students, staff, alumni, educators, and donors.
Thank you for being a part of the JSA community and for your unwavering commitment to being the people who make a difference. Although the Junior State of America and JSA will have ceased operations and the names may not be used for student activities going forward, we know that all members of our JSA nation will continue the work of building a better, more engaged society.
FAQs
- Student participation in JSA has been declining since 2015. Further declines followed the disruption in in-person programming caused by the pandemic in 2020-2021.
- The cost of school year student programming has skyrocketed in recent years. In an attempt to shield students from these costs, JSA stabilized fees and used development revenue to offset rising costs.
- In order to supplement declining program revenue JSA secured consulting partnerships to run other nonprofit organizations’ summer programs. This new revenue allowed JSA to continue offering school-year programming without increasing student participation fees, but was not a reliable, stable source of income for the organization.
- In the past three years, two of JSA’s 10 states (Arizona and the Pacific Northwest) collapsed with extremely low student participation and few if any candidates for elected or appointed student positions.
- Attendance at JSA summer schools has been on the decline since 2008. The market for summer programs is highly competitive. There has been a proliferation of free and low-cost summer programs available to the same set of students who might attend JSA programs.
- JSA has significantly increased development revenue over the last twenty years but this revenue has not kept pace with rising costs and declining program revenue.
After a number of very challenging years, the Board felt a responsibility to students, donors and staff to make the difficult decision to close.
The Board met and voted on July 29, 2024.
Closing on August 31st will allow JSA to meet all of its financial obligations to creditors and provide JSA employees with ample notice and an opportunity to wind down JSA operations with purpose and thoughtfulness.
The Board met with the JSA student Council of Governors (CoG) on the evening of July 30, 2024 to inform them of this significant decision. While the students were disappointed, they immediately set to work to create a new nonprofit, the Civic Leaders of America (CLA), to continue the fundamental goals of JSA but with a new, hopefully more sustainable system. The goal of their organization is to focus more on local activism and leadership training, and less on in-person conventions. The Chapters will have more agency and power to run their own activities, and will serve as facilitators of learning, education and leadership development.
CoG members shared that while they will not be trying to copy JSA – it will be a new organization with a new name, new systems, and different execution – the similarities exist in our shared values of civic engagement and activism, and JSA’s current Governors will run the new organization in its inaugural year.
The Board supports the formation of the CLA – and is thrilled that students themselves are showing their JSA spirit and taking ownership by activating their own organization. This ultimately is what JSA is about. For more about CLA:
· CLA Overview (includes CLA’s mission statement)
