program overview

Junior State of America programs are where students learn how to participate in our democracy. Through immersive experiences in citizenship, public issues, and activism, they come to understand what’s required to be a responsible leader in their communities.

Junior State of America, a student-led organization, prepares a diverse community of high school students to participate effectively in our democracy. We offer hands-on civic programs designed to activate the talents of young people, instill values of respect and understanding, and inspire them to be a new generation of American leaders.

Through participation in Junior State of America, students acquire the skills and gain the confidence to represent their chapters, regions, and states — to represent each other — fairly and ethically. Their passion for citizenship and democracy is infectious, and it spreads to friends and families and into their communities. JSAers will go on to run for city council and state legislatures. They’ll represent us in Washington, D.C. We’re empowering citizen influencers for democracy.

KEY PROGRAM ELEMENTS

GEne a. burd institute of media & politics

The Gene A. Burd Institute on Media & Politics is a one-week residential summer program, also offered virtually.

Students begin with an introduction to journalism before engaging in sophisticated discussions and projects centered around political and advocacy communication. They will have opportunities to collaborate with peers in hands-on activities including analyzing media bias, writing editorial content, creating podcasts and videos, and creating political communication plans and events.

Students will have opportunities to engage with current media professionals. Past presenters include Camille Hahn, Managing Editor of Ms. Magazine; Jeffrey Marcus, Editor, New York Times; Julie Mastrine, Allsides.com; Dan Schnur, Professor at Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy at USC; and Jonathan Karl, former White House Correspondent; Nick White, KCRW; Matthew Summy, Comcast; Amy Watanabe, Nakatomi & Associates; Danielle Fairlee, Nakatomi & Associates; Eric Dezenhall, Dezenhall Resources; Sergio Lopez, Councilmember for the City of Campbell, CA; Marilyn Chavez-Martinez, Daily Bruin; Kari Lau, Daily Bruin; Alex Leeds Matthews, U.S. News & World Report.

Young Women’s Leadership Institute

The Young Women's Leadership Institute (YWLI) is a one-week residential summer program, also offered virtually.

Junior State of America (JSA) believes leadership is a skill that can be learned and nurtured through instruction, self-reflection, and practice. At YWLI, students will learn about the history of women’s leadership in the United States, gain direct experience in community organizing and action planning, and understand the opportunities they have to be leaders in their communities.

YWLI students will hear directly from women who are currently leading on critical issues in our country. Past speakers and presenters include: Ambassador Susan Rice; Senator Amy Klobuchar; Mayor London Breed; Dr. Brooke Rios, Executive Director of New Los Angeles Charter Schools; Dr. Kelley Le, author and climate science activist; Dr. Marie Peoples, Deputy County Manager, Coconino County; Deputy Chief Drennon Lindsey of the Oakland Police Department; Amanda Litman, Co-Founder of Run for Something!; Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett.

Stern Civics Immersion
Program

The Stern Civics Immersion Program is a three-week residential summer program, also offered virtually.

Junior State of America’s Civics Immersion Program is designed to engage high school students with the most pressing issues facing our democracy today, challenging them to look beyond differences and focus on solution-oriented action. Participants gain a complete understanding of critical issues directly from the decision-makers who shape public policy and apply lessons learned to generate ideas for direct action in their communities.

Previous courses include Environmental Justice, Global Poverty, Inequality and Justice, and Design Thinking for Community Problem Solving. In addition to the primary course of study each summer, all students will take a supplementary course: Argumentation and Use of Evidence.

Application Website

Who can apply

program dates

Gene A. Burd Institute of Media & Politics

DATE

June 23 - 30

DURATION

7 Days

LOCATION

Occidental College

COST

$1,895 | Virtual: $295

Young Women's Leadership Institute

DATE

Aug. 1 - 7

DURATION

7 Days

LOCATION

Simmons University

COST

$1,895.00 | Virtual: $295

Stern Civics Immersion Program

DATE

In-Person: July 7 - 27, 2023 | Virtual: July 10-28

DURATION

3 Weeks

LOCATION

Stanford University | Virtual

COST

$5,295 | Virtual: TBA (2023 Price $695)

deadlines

No dates available, please check program website for updated information.

application process

You can apply to JSA Summer Programs through our online portal, JSAConnect.
First, you must create a JSAConnect account. Students can register, check their invoices, and pay online at JSAConnect.
Fees must be paid before the program begins, or students will not be allowed to attend. The easiest and most secure way is to pay online via the JSAConnect portal. If necessary, you can also mail a check to our office or call (800) 334-5353 to inquire about paying over the phone.

application requirements

No transcripts or letters of recommendation are needed for Institute applications.
When applying for the Institute please include a Gmail address if you have one. This will help us add you to our GoogleClassroom.
Create a JSAConnect Account: All students are required to create a JSAConnect account. Students should use correct information and their primary email account to register. Once you sign up, you will be sent an email with a link to confirm your email. Please check your inbox and spam folder for the confirmation email.
- Locked out of your account? If you already had a MyJSA account, use those credentials to login to JSAConnect. If the "forgot password" button is sending you through a loop, email tech@jsa.org and we will manually send a password reset link to you.
- Can't find your high school? Type "Not Listed" into the search box and choose your state of residence. For example, if you live in Illinois, you will choose "Not Listed - IL".
Register on JSAConnect: Students can register individually and pay for themselves on JSAConnect. Alternatively, the chapter can register together and pay together. You can register for an event on JSAConnect by going to "My Activities". Scroll through all activities and click "register" on the event you want to attend.
- - - Essay: You are required to write a short essay, which you can submit into JSAConnect. Prompt: "Please write about a political topic which you care about and why." Max 500 words (there is no word minimum). Our staff will review the essay before proceeding to approval.
- Payments: Once your application is approved, credit card payments may be made online on JSAConnect. Checks can be made out to JSA and sent to our California headquarters (see address below). We highly recommend paying by credit card online, since we will need to receive payment before you can attend the convention.
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Please check website for updated information.

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