Paige Hall's platform for OR Vice Mayor

1. Platform
Activism:
I have seen JSA accomplish amazing things for the delegates themselves, but I
have also seen JSA greatly benefit the wider community. Members of our chapters
shouldn’t be the only ones to enjoy the political experience. I believe that we should be
reaching out to the other students within our schools, and showing them how fantastic
current events can be. Along with the other members of Sunset JSA, I helped to host
Senator Ron Wyden when he came to speak at our school. The questions we prepared
and the panel we put together all helped to exemplify the talents and hard work of those
in JSA. This presentation not only brought more awareness to the club, but it also helped
inform students on some of the issues our elected officials face.
Students aren’t the only ones who should be able to enjoy politics. I want to work
to include all people in the process, including adults. As teenagers with political interests,
we should put our efforts into campaigns and organizations that we are interested in. For
instance, members of my chapter and I have participated in various phone banking and
canvassing efforts for both national and local issues that we feel strongly about. Many
delegates, including myself, helped out at the respective presidential campaigns this past
November. Members of JSA have also been doing voter registration within our school
district. If I am elected, I will work to plan region-wide activism efforts.
Looking Beyond Conventions:
From my years of JSA experience, I have seen many chapters break apart,
especially in the long gaps between conventions. While the conventions are arguably the
most exciting part of the JSA calendar, meetings are where we spend the most time
talking with our peers and practicing our debating skills. We should use this time to inform
ourselves about the issues facing society, as well as to learn about debating styles and
techniques. I aim to keep chapters together and make the time between conventions
more engaging for the entire region.
Convention Representation:
Conventions are undoubtedly a favorite amongst JSA delegates. It is difficult to
find another place where you can speak with other politically aware students from all over
the Pacific Northwest. Despite the incredible expansion the OR has achieved this year,
only a fraction of its chapters are able to attend Spring State. This is for a variety of
issues that, if elected, I am determined to fix in the future. Ideally every chapter in Oregon
will be able to attend each of the conventions. Whether this involves region-wide fund
raising or coordinating transportation, I think that more students should be able to
experience our conventions.
Regional Community:
The OR is a rapidly growing region, and I believe that we should make the extra
effort to create relationships between chapters. This can be done with chapter cons right
here at home. It can be a trek up to the GPR or IER for chapter cons and I think that it is
perfectly reasonable to hold our own in the OR. This will help to create bonds not only
between members of the OR, but also with those from other regions.