The Junior State of America (formerly the Junior Statesmen of America), abbreviated JSA, was an American non-partisan youth organization. The purpose of JSA was to help high school students acquire leadership skills and the knowledge necessary to be effective debaters and civic participants. JSA was sponsored by the Junior State of America Foundation Inc. (JSAF, a 501c(3) non-profit corporation), which also operated the JSA Summer Schools. On August 2nd, 2024, it was announced that the organization would be closing and ceasing operations on August 31, 2024.
Overview
As a student run organization, students managed every aspect of the organization, from the local chapter level to the regional level. The members elected local, regional, and state leaders to organize JSA conventions, conferences, and political awareness events.
As an organization, JSA was organized by regions congruous with the geographic regions of the United States. At the high school chapter level, chapter presidents organized local activities and meetings. On the regional level, mayors and vice mayors organized regional one-day conferences. On the state level, Student governors and lieutenant governors organize overnight conventions and other activities. On the national level, governors were in communication with each other planning convention themes and steering the direction of the organization.
The JSA program included debates, "thought talks," problem solving, and a variety of simulations designed to provide members with an informed viewpoint and the ability to analyze important issues. Simulations include, for example, writing mocked legislation, debating and voting on it, Model Congress (with a Senate and House of Representatives), crisis simulations, and other activities. JSA provided an opportunity to meet other students from outside their home communities who shared similar interests; furthermore, debate conventions usually included various evening activities like dining downtown or impromptu debate.
In addition to the school year program, JSA held multiple one to three week Summer School sessions for JSA members and other high school students. These were held at multiple locations across the nation including Stanford and Georgetown, and week-long symposium on state and local politics are held in several states.Ward, William J., New Jersey Eminent Domain Law Blog, Aug. 15, 2007, "Junior Statesmen hear eminent domain talk," http://www.njeminentdomain.com/state-of-new-jersey-junior-statesmen-hear-eminent-domain-talk.html (In years past, JSF has held Summer School sessions at Yale, Northwestern University, University of Texas at Austin, University of California, Davis, University of California, Santa Cruz, and Princeton). Sessions include college-level courses on political science, economics, history and public speaking. Students from all over the world, (most notably England, France, Turkey, Micronesia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Hong Kong) attend Summer School.Author Unknown, Government of the Federated States of Micronesia, June 5, 1997, "Six FSM High School Students Selected for 1997 DOI Junior Statesmen Summer School," http://www.fsmgov.org/press/pr06059a.htm The revenue from these programs helped fund the school-year JSA program.
History JSA was founded in 1934 by Professor E. A. Rogers at the Montezuma Mountain School in Los Gatos, California, as an experiment in self-government.Author Unknown, Los Gatos Weekly Times, Aug. 16, 2000, "Junior Statesmen alumni gather," http://www.svcn.com/archives/lgwt/08.16.00/jrstatesmen-0033.html Students at the Montezuma Mountain School set up their own three-branch government, complete with a student court, police force, executive officer, and legislative branch. The students would draft, pass, and enforce their own rules.
The JSA has had liaisons with other similar organizations outside of the United States. For example, throughout the 1980s the Pacific-Northwest State developed close ties with the British Columbia Youth Parliament (BCYP). The Southern California state also added the American School in Honduras as a chapter in 2006 and the school's chapter attended the annual Congress convention. There are two active chapters in St. Kitts and St. Thomas, USVI. Puerto Rico has traditionally one or two chapters. All Caribbean chapters attend either the Northeast State or Mid-Atlantic State conventions.
Since its inception in 1934, more than 500,000 student members have participated in the JSA.
JSA closed down on August 31, 2024. The reasons cited for closure included reduced student participation and increasing costs.
Notable alumni Notable former members include Leon Panetta (Former Secretary of Defense, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, White House Chief of Staff, United States Congressman, and Member of the California State Senate), Mike McCurry (Press Secretary under President Bill Clinton), Edwin Meese (Attorney General under President Ronald Reagan), Jennifer Palmieri (White House Communication Director under President Barack Obama) businessman and inventor Charles R. Schwab, and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. There are also three current JSA alumni serving in Congress: Mark Takano, Derek Kilmer, and Zoe Lofgren.
Other notable alumni Christopher Cabaldon (Member of the California State Senate and former Mayor, West Sacramento) Lanhee Chen (David and Diane Steffy Research Fellow, Hoover Institution and Former Policy Director, Mitt Romney presidential campaign, 2012) Andrei Cherny (Former Chair, Arizona Democratic Party) Fred Dutton (Chief of Staff, Governor Pat Brown) Michael Edelstein (President, International Television Production at NBC Universal) Dario Frommer (Former Majority Leader, California State Assembly) Eric Garcetti (Mayor, Los Angeles) Chris Gethard (comedian) Beth Labson Freeman (Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of California) Ted Lempert (Former member, California State Assembly and President, Children NOW) Bill Lockyer (California State Treasurer) Zoe Lofgren (Member, United States House of Representatives) Frank Mankiewicz (Press Campaign Director, George McGovern's Presidential campaign and former president, NPR) Greil Marcus (Rock Historian and Critic) Bob Mathias (Former Olympian and United States Congressman) Stanley Mazor (Designer of the first microprocessor) Norman Mineta (Former Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Transportation) Darcy A. Olsen (President & CEO, The Goldwater Institute) Nicholas Petris (Former Member, California State Senate) Joe Simitian (Former Member, California State Senate) Mark Takano (United States Congressman) Ethan Watters (Author, Urban Tribez and co-founder, San Francisco Writers Grotto)
Structure
The JSA consisted of 10 states which correspond roughly to the geographic territories in the United States: the Arizona State, Mid-Atlantic State, Midwest State, Northeast State, Northern California State, Ohio River Valley State, Pacific Northwest State, Southeast State, Southern California State, and the Texas State. Each state was broken into one or more regions. If a state contracts below a certain operational level, the Council of Governors may vote to make the state a territory. The Council may also break states into multiple territories if they become too large to be effectively managed.
The sponsoring JSAF was a non-profit organization with an adult board of directors, trustees and paid staff. The JSA receives administrative and programming support from the JSF.
Mid-Atlantic State
The Mid-Atlantic State was composed of chapters from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina. The Mid-Atlantic State was divided into the New Jersey Region (NJ) and the South Atlantic District (PA, MD, DE, VA, NC). The New Jersey Region was the most populated JSA region in the nation. Winter Congress was held in Arlington, Virginia, while the Spring and Fall State Conventions rotate between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Woodbridge, New Jersey.
The Mid-Atlantic state had the largest number of voters in its 2024 election with over 12,000 participants. The MAS also set recent records for most delegates in a Fall State, Winter Congress, and Spring State Conventions.
Current Governor: Atharv Parashar (West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North) 2024–2025
Current Lieutenant Governor: Rishav Choudhury (South Brunswick High School) 2024–2025
Current MAS Mayor: Siddharth Shankar (South Brunswick High School) 2024–2025
Midwest State The Midwest State encompasses Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri.
Current Governor: Yadira Padilla (Morton West High School) 2024-2025
Current LTG: Ashlie DiCarlo (Vernon Hills High School) 2024-2025
Northeast State The Northeast was composed of chapters from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. It boasted two regions, the New England Region (VT, NH, MA, RI) and the Empire Constitution Region (CT, NY).
Winter Congress was held in Arlington, Virginia, while the Spring and Fall State Conventions rotated between Boston, Massachusetts, Stamford, Connecticut, and Providence, Rhode Island.
Current Governor: Hannah Guo (Amity Regional High School) 2024–2025 Current LTG: Rei Seltzer (Staples High School) 2024-2025 Current ECR Mayor: Evan Kindseth (Amity Regional High School) 2019–2020 Current ECR Vice Mayor: Scott Weinstein (John Jay High School) 2019–2020 Current NER Mayor: Zachary Roberts (Westford Academy) 2019–2020 Current NER Vice Mayor: Caroline Riemer (Westford Academy) 2019–2020
Northern California State NorCal was composed of chapters from California, Nevada, and Utah. It had four regions: the Golden Gate Region, the Central Valley Region, the Greater California Region, and the East Bay Region. NorCal was the oldest JSA state in the country, dating back to the founding of the organization in 1934.
Fall and Spring State were held in San Jose, California, and Winter State was held in Sacramento, California.
Ohio River Valley State The Ohio River Valley (ORV) includes chapters from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee. The state contains the Southwest District and North Central District. Fall State was held annually in Columbus, OH. Winter Congress was held annually in Washington, D.C. Spring State was held annually in Florence, Kentucky. The ORV government was composed of a program director, a governor, a lieutenant governor and a cabinet. The cabinet contains ten different departments, with 10 directors and 20 specialists.
Current Governor: Soham Gunturu (New Albany High School) 2023–2024
Current Lieutenant Governor: Sugath Suravarapu (New Albany High School) 2023–2024
Pacific Northwest State The Pacific Northwest has chapters from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The state has three regions: the Great Pacific Region (western WA), the Inland Empire Region (eastern WA, ID, MT, WY), and the Oregon Region (OR).
Current Governor: Jeff Lin ( Liberty High School) 2023-2024
Current Lieutenant Governor: Andrew Lindsay (Newport High School)
Current Lieutenant Governor: Abigail Elperin (Issaquahh High School) 2024-2025
Current GPR Mayor: Mehr Tarafdar (Skyline High School) 2024-2025
Current OR Mayor: Ishana Senthil (Westview High School) 2024-2025
Current IER Mayor: Michael McCauley (Central Valley High School) 2024-2025
Southeast State The Southeast state comprises chapters from South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.
Current Governor: Sophia Mora (Miami Lakes Educational Center) 2024–2025
Current Lieutenant Governor: Carmel Indianer (Naples High School) 2024–2025
Southern California State The Southern California state comprises southern California, Arizona (added August 2023), small parts of Nevada and New Mexico.
Current Governor: