JSA: Be The People

I joined The Junior Statesman of America (JSA) my freshman year of high school for ALL the wrong reasons, but I luckily fell into a great decision. In all honesty, I joined because I had a gigantic crush on one of the junior boys in JSA....BUT actually ended up learning so much from it.

If you haven't heard of it, JSA aims to teach high school students about democracy and our government in order to encourage involvement and leadership for life! Students involved in JSA learn with and from each other through debates and simulations on critical political and social issues. 

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JSA Fast Facts:

1. About 10,000 members across the country

2. Over the course of the year there are overnight conventions where you get to meet and work with students from other chapters--one of them each year is a massive Congress simulation. There are also awesome summer programs at Georgetown, Princeton, UVA, Stanford and one in Beijing!

3. Female students were more likely to say JSA programs drastically improved their overall knowledge and skills. Over 65% of female students said that JSA seriously improved their confidence to speak up in class.

JSA had a big impact on my life and maybe it could have one on yours too (and help you get into college)! If there isn't a chapter at your school yet, you should found your own!! Click here to learn more.

You're a leader!

I just got off the phone with my mom. She's in Switzerland at this really cool conference called Davos. It's held every year and world leaders come together for the World Economic Forum where they discuss all sorts of political and economic issues. This year's conference was titled "The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business". I am so incredibly proud that my mom gets invited to this conference - she's such an amazing role model and inspires me to make a difference every day.

However, while looking up Davos I came across a really interesting article in the Huffington Post that had some very sobering facts. Only 15% of attendees were women. The Forum selects 50 of its own Global Shapers of which 50% are women but for the rest - there is such inequality! Women everywhere need to be a part of the discussions that are shaping our world and moving our society forward.

We need to reshape what it means to be a female leader and that starts with you! I want to challenge you this week to put yourself out there. Apply for a position in school, volunteer to lead a project in class, go that extra mile with your homework, audition for the school play and it could lead somewhere. You may discover a new passion! Become involved in the society you are a part of - you will gain valuable experience and it will give you the confidence to develop those leadership skills (and it doesn't hurt on college applications either!).

Spotlight on Academics: Political Science

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It’s never too early to think about what you might want to study in college! To give you some ideas, I will be highlighting a popular college major each week. Even if you’re sure you already know what you want to study, it never hurts to try something new, especially in your first year of college – exploring is the best part!

This week I will be focusing on political science. If you have dreams of working for a government agency, interest group, or political organization (first female president, anyone?!), then political science could be the major for you! Even if you’re not interested in  working in politics, studying human behavior and current events through a poli-sci major could prepare you for a variety of exciting careers including business, journalism, and law. Some politicians and celebrities who majored in political science include Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Condoleezza Rice, and Jerry Springer.

Wait, what exactly is political science, anyway? Put simply, it involves the study of political systems, processes, and ideas. You might take courses on American government, comparative politics, international relations, or political thought. Studying political science is a great way to develop valuable skills in writing, communication, and critical thinking. Don’t know anything about politics? That’s okay! The great thing about starting college is that you can take a variety of intro courses your first year – in many cases, background knowledge about the topic isn’t expected at all. Then, you can decide what topics or subject areas you want to explore in more depth.

What can I do now? Think you might want to study political science in college? There are tons of ways you can start to explore the subject area now. Join a club at school related to politics or government processes, whether it’s mock trial, Model United Nations, or student government. Watch or read the news to stay up-to-date on current events and what’s going on in the world. If you feel a little confused (what on earth is a budget sequester?!), talk to your parents or teachers and ask to hear their thoughts on political events and ideas. While no one expects you to join a political party now, it’s never too early to have your own opinions and ideas!

If you think political science is something you might be interested in, check out the websites of your favorite colleges to see what courses and programs they offer. I’ll be back with another popular major to explore next week!