Programs

School-Year Experiences

Every school year, students in each of our States plan three major, multi-day conventions — Fall State, Winter Congress, and Spring State — that bring chapters together to engage with the issues that impact them most.

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School-Year Conventions

Change the course of democracy, all year long.

Group of students posing and smiling for a high school civics program.

Fall State

Fall State is the first convention of each school year when chapters come together to collaborate with delegates across their states. JSA’s Council of Governors selects a national convention theme, which students explore together through keynote speeches, discussions, activism initiatives, and debate.

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Student speaking into a microphone and gesturing while standing in front of a group of seated students at a high school government event.

Winter Congress

At Winter Congress, students participate in a hands-on legislative simulation, learning how a bill is written, debated, amended — and understanding the collaboration required to enact it.

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Spring State

Spring State features debates, thought talks, and activism initiatives that are chosen in response to current political issues and events. This is also the culmination of our election cycle, where each JSA state announces its student leadership for the coming year.

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Past School-Year Experiences

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  • We’ve had a lot of very accomplished people who have come out of JSA. Some of them today are congressmen, some have been members of the White House staff, some of them have been in various departments of government…There may be a governor, there may be a congressman, there may be a senator, there might even be a president among those folks I talked to today.

    Edwin Meese III
    Former Member of Cabinet, Former U.S. Attorney General, and JSA Alum

  • I think it’s one of the best programs for young people we have on Capitol Hill. They learn things. They’re able to participate. They’re able to question some of America’s political leaders on every issue. They’re exposed to government. I think it’s an opportunity that’s very significant for these young people and that’s why I come back.

    Chuck Hagel
    Former U.S. Senator [R-Nebraska] and U.S. Secretary of Defense
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