Newtown JSA Students Win Honors At

Regional Conference

Fifteen high school students recently comprised the Newtown delegation to the regional Spring State conference of the Junior State of America (JSA). Many did not leave empty handed.

Convening in Stamford, they joined over 400 students from more than 30 public and private high schools throughout New York and New England. The two-day conference was organized and conducted entirely by students in this student-run organization.

The Newtown chapter of JSA is an organization that was officially established only at the beginning of this school year. However, chapter members established themselves at the conference by sending a large delegation and receiving numerous honors.

For the quiz bowl competition at the conference, a Newtown High School team comprised of Lawrence Dworkin, Matt Favreau, Andrew Portnoy, and Gregg Aencey made it to the final round.

NHS JSA members Sean O’Mahoney and Josh Stern were each awarded “Best Speaker” awards in addition to winning their individual debates.

NHS’ David Rod passed his bar exam and can serve as a lawyer for mock trials.

Rachel Stern was given an award for “Outstanding Freshman.”

JSA had humble beginnings over 60 years ago. When a group of high school students gathered in Northern California in 1934 for a roundtable discussion of democracy, they hoped to create an organization that would one day involve the entire country.

Today, with chapters ranging from Saipan to St Thomas and spanning the continent in between, JSA has become a symbol of student leadership and the largest student-run organization in the nation.

Unlike other debate forums, the purpose of JSA is not so much to train speakers but to train leaders. JSA debates are geared toward the exchange of philosophical and political ideas. The topics are designed to be thought provoking, not merely controversial.

JSA, unlike similar organizations, is completely student-run. Leaders, elected by their peers, choose the focus and goals of the organization.