JSA Holds Their Holiday Meeting

This past Wednesday, December 1st, Arrowhead’s chapter of JSA (Junior States of America) held their own Holiday-themed meeting, taking place in room N 162 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. 

JSA is a student-led organization that focuses on civil discussions on current political topics. Students “learn how to engage civilly in political discourse,” says JSA’s national website. The organization is also devoted to developing leadership skills, critical thinking skills, and respect for opposing beliefs. 

In Arrowhead’s chapter of JSA, meetings are student-led with an adult advisor supervising. The cabinet members of the club lead the meetings from one topic to another, with a student moderator directing the conversation. 

JSA supervisor and teacher at Arrowhead Tim Tower says that “JSA is the largest student-run organization in the country.” With many different JSA chapters spread through high schools around the country. 

JSA holds open meetings, meaning that anybody can attend the meetings without committing to the club. Meeting dates can be seen on the AHS Tv’s scrolling in the foyer and studyhalls. 

Tower says the Arrowhead JSA chapter tends to be “a little more casual with some debates” as a reflection of the supervisors’ personalities (the supervisors being himself and Tamara Lindmair). For this reason, along with Thought Talks, Formal Debates, and [Informal Debates], JSA participates in debate-themed games such as debates against humanity. Debates against humanity is a fun twist on the popular card game cards against humanity. 

Fun activities like this were performed at JSA’s holiday meeting. On Wednesday’s meeting, the activities included Hot Potato Debates as well as a Thought Talk. Grace Erdman, the Prime Minister of Propaganda and a senior at Arrowhead says that the hot potato debates consisted of “two markers [being] passed around the room while Holiday music played, and when the music stopped, the two members with markers would debate over a fun Holiday prompt.”

Thought Talks are a more serious activity where anyone can raise their hand to weigh in their opinion, as long as the discussion is kept respectful and no one is singled out. The Thought Talk on Wednesday “discussed the recent Rittenhouse case and its’ implications on the law” said Erdman.

If the activities of the JSA holiday meeting sound appealing, Erdman “would encourage anyone and everyone to join JSA” saying that It would be great to “hear and even simply see more people at our meetings because it brings [her] and many other students in [the] club more hope for the future. “

The next meeting will be held sometime during January, the exact date has not yet been decided.