Specific

JCL

Stuff

The above image, is, in fact, me. I "lost" Coin Wars during the 2024 TJCL State Convention (I raised over $200, and had more than five times the combined total of the other six officers). My punishment was to wear a large eagle head brought by a chapter for Spirit!

I am fully confident that I will be able to perform the duties of this office, with the following qualifications and goals:

EXPERIENCE:

I have served as the TJCL Torch Editor, and in that time published a fourth Torch (we usually only publish three), took over 1,200 photos, and started the TJCL Flickr. I have also served as the President and Website Coordinator for my chapter for three years, and previous to this stretch served as Torch Editor, Co-President, and Website Coordinator.
I have been working with Joomag (the platform the NJCL uses to publish the Torch) since 2022, giving me a head start—I can get right to editing my first issue! You can check out my Torches (linked at the bottom of the page), or this website as a Joomag publication to learn more.
In my chapter, the President also performs the duties of Parliamentarian, meaning that I got to help write my chapter's Constitution.
Having served in a number of different capacities at the local level, and with a thorough knowledge of the Consitution (especially the NJCL one), I have a general sense of the duties of most of the offices, allowing me to coordinate well with the other Officers and make sure things get done on time.

GOALS:

The funny thing about goals is that the previous editors have, over the decades, endlessly improved the Torch—there's not much left to do! Therefore, my primary goal would be to do the job as it has been done, and do it well. That being said, I do have one or two things I would like to do:

Introduce direct Torch subscriptions: Currently, the mechanism for subscribing to the Torch is to fill out the form available on the NJCL Website, and wait to be added to the mailing list. I've filled out this form about three times, and haven't been added to the list. As someone who doesn't really use Instagram, it makes it hard for me to find the Torch.

How? I would like to activate Joomag's subscription service, allowing readers to get the Torch sent directly to their inboxes. It's a quick, easy fix, and makes the process of distribution a whole lot smoother!

Add articles on specific competitions from experienced participants: A change that I successfully instituted during my time as Editor for Tennessee was to add articles on competitions (specifically Agon, Certamen, and lesser-known exams) from players and participants such as Nikhil Ranjan, Wyatt Roder, John Baltz and Will Gramm. I would love to add this to the Torch: US, and expand to other events, such as Dramatic Interpretation (which I happen to participate in), the Slogan contest, or English Oratory.

How? I'm a fairly well connected JCLer, and in addition to knowing many people personally, also know many people who are well connected, and have access to several communities where JCLers gather - such as the Discord server for Certamen players.

Add a Torch Display: During the year, I've often wanted to see what the other states are doing to keep the JCL spirit going, and while there are updates in the Torch: US, and states sometimes advertise their Torches, I want to see more. However, it's pretty hard to find other states' Torches, or at least a long process. I would love to dedicate a page of the Torch: US to a Torch Wall of both state and local publications.

How? There are a couple ways to do this. The laborious way would be to go to every state's website, find their publication, and then add it (and filter through the few I have managed to subscribe to). And then maybe go find the local ones. The easy (or easier) way would be to utilize the JCL Editors GroupMe to ask Editors for their Torches, and simply have them submit links alongside their state updates.