Buckle Up for Fall State 2021
Written by Amy Park, Lonestar Writer
Get ready for another weekend of fun debates, late-night activities, activism workshops, and more at this year’s Fall State! The convention will be taking place in person on Nov. 13 at the Omni Hotel in Austin, TX, and will be held virtually for the 14th as a hybrid event.
To give attendees a better glimpse of what to expect, we’ve interviewed Kyle Letterer, the current Director of Chapter Internal Affairs (CIA). Letterer starts off by giving an overview of what his position entails.
“Essentially, I am in charge of serving as a liaison between Cabinet and Chapter Presidents (CPs), and I’m charged with ensuring that CPs have access to all the pertinent information that they need,” Letterer said. “For instance, we’re distributing information about Fall State right now to CPs so they have everything that they need to successfully register their chapters and get ready for Fall State.”
Because last year’s Fall State was held virtually, many JSAers missed out on many of the aspects that made the in-person convention so enjoyable. As a junior this year, Letterer was able to attend Fall State his freshman year before school went into lockdown and experience the best of both worlds, virtual and in-person.
“My first Fall State was in my freshman year, and it was certainly an experience to remember! I recall being completely blown away by the sheer amount of people who were all so dedicated to coming together to not only fight political apathy but also to just discuss the various issues that exist in the world we live in. I don’t mean to sound cliché, but it really changed my perspective on so many things, and that’s why I initially fell in love with JSA.”
The form to sign up as a main speaker or moderator is currently available and will be closing on Nov. 5. The discussions planned for the event are already released on the @texas.jsa Instagram, and feature resolutions and thought talks such as: “Resolved, the United States should prohibit the consideration of standardized testing in college admissions,” or “Should the U.S. adopt a similar gaming restriction like the one China has imposed on their under 18?” For Letterer, the debates were his favorite part of the convention.
“Each and every debate that I attended was filled with people who were just so passionate about the things we were discussing,” Letterer said. “But at the same time, everybody, regardless of their opposing viewpoints, was all so respectful of one another, which just represents everything that JSA stands for as an organization.”
The convention brings together chapters and JSAers from all over the state and even some from out of state, connecting people of all ages and backgrounds. Letterer strongly recommends it for anybody who wishes to attend this year.
“Fall State is such a wonderful opportunity to not only learn new things and meet amazing people but also to become more involved in such a wonderful organization. On a personal note, Fall State turned out to be so influential in my first few years of high school life, and I highly encourage everybody to take advantage of this truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
