Junior State of America

JSA: aka my passion!

I have been interested in government and politics for as long as I can remember. Perhaps it is a direct result of growing up in a family of veterans, eating dinner watching the nightly news, or the global scholar's coursework I took in school, but I was always the one my family turned to with questions on politics, reminded them to vote in the local elections, and informed them of key updates from our city council meetings.

As an incoming high school freshman, I felt drawn to become more involved with political action, and to actually make a tangible impact in my community. I wanted to share my ideas, opinions, and knowledge with other like-minded students, but I was surprised to learn that my school did not have a civics or government club, and didn't seem to offer any opportunities for engagement in local politics. I began to wonder if there were other students in my school who felt similar to me in this regard. From my lunchtime conversations and post-debate practice discussions, it seemed to me that many of my peers wanted to get involved and make a difference in the world, yet did not have any clear way to do so, and figured they could wait until college to become active and engaged citizens.

I knew that it was crucial for high schoolers to contribute to the civic life of their country, as the earlier in life one becomes exposed to these types of issues, the sooner they recognize their own power to make a difference in the world. I began to research ways for high schoolers to become involved in civic life and contribute to their community, and I discovered a national organization, Junior State of America, which focused on bringing civics to schools across the country. Run entirely by high school students, JSA seemed to be the perfect catalyst for the type of political awareness and engagement I aimed to spark in my high school. I assembled a small group of students and we trekked to the Ohio Statehouse during our freshman fall to attend our first JSA convention. There, I was surrounded by students from all across Ohio, joined in their common goal of changing their communities for the better. Over the course of the weekend, as I encountered a range of political perspectives and opinions, yet was met with such tolerance and acceptance from everyone, I was hooked. I saw in JSA the foundations of the democratic ideal- empathy, respect, and justice. I left that weekend with a vision of what American political life should aspire to, and a renewed sense of vigor to be the one to help affect that change in my school community by starting a chapter in my own high school.

Over the past few years, I have seen my chapter grow from a seed of an idea to an organization that brings together students who would otherwise never engage in a dialogue about civic values and political beliefs. Despite the sometimes contentious subjects we discuss, the founding values of our democracy remain strong within the club, and I am so grateful for such an environment that fosters passion and engagement. JSA will always be such a foundational part of my high school experience, and I am so grateful to have been able to both share my passion for civic life with others, as well as to empower them to contribute to their society.

Our JSA club has been busy with many initiatives! From helping to register new student voters to supporting what we hope to become new legislation here in Ohio, HB 243 which guarantees Ohio children access to hearing aids and related services. Here is a snapshot of our Fight Apathy Campaign- a chance for our school community to voice their opinions about what is important to them. It is a great conversation starter among our school community!