MHS Ben Isaac Elected JSA Governor
for Northeastern USA
by Jake Seligman, MHS 2003
 (
October 31, 2002) At first glance Ben Isaac may seem
like an average teenager. At a second glance he'll still
probably seem like a normal, Mamaroneck High School
senior -- and for the most part he is. He is also extremely
well-spoken, intelligent, and the current governor of
the Northeastern State of the Junior State of America.
For the past six months, Ben has taken on the responsibility
of running the Maine to New York section of this nationwide
organization.
The Junior State of America (JSA) is, in essence, a
national debate
club. High schools across the country host individual
JSA chapters
where students debate, amongst themselves, relevant
issues in a
student-led and regulated process. Each chapter is affiliated
with one of nine geographic regions, governed by its
own legislative and
executive board. That's where Ben comes in.
Ben Isaac is the governor of his region, thus separating
him from the average high school student. There are few teenagers
who spend much of their time organizing a thirty-person
cabinet, planning interstate conventions, and attending
the occasional national conference. Ben does all these
things while still finding time to spend with friends
and play basketball (he is, after all pushing 6'4").
In addition to the expected tasks of a JSA governor,
which are by no means small, Ben has taken on extra
responsibilities that are both challenging for him and new to JSA. For instance, he
has been trying to set up a new part of his elected
cabinet that deals solely with individual chapter issues.
Ben has also been active in expanding JSA into schools
where it has never been, while keeping his thirty-person
cabinet (made up of student politicians scattered about
the Northeastern region of the United States) relatively
happy.
Ironically, however, the Mamaroneck chapter of JSA
has fallen into ill repute. Last month, the administration
at Mamaroneck High School disbanded the organization
citing numerous, long-term and recent problems. Once
the history department prepared a letter for the principal
questioning the educational merit of the club, the fate
of the MHS chapter was more or less sealed. The current
MHS chapter board members have suggested changes, but
apparently that has not been enough.
No one was harmed more by the decision than Ben himself.
To retain his governor's post, he must be a member of
an actual chapter of JSA. So, when the Mamaroneck chapter
disbands, Ben loses his gubernatorial job. This has
been very hard on Ben. "This was my whole senior
year," Ben said.
When he was originally designated governor, Ben won
by 50 votes in a 400-vote election, which is a sizable
margin of victory for a JSA
governor. This happened for a reason; Ben campaigned
hard, and put in time, which as governor he still does.
However, Ben's national position in the Junior State
of America is now in jeopardy.
Nonetheless, for the past seven months, Ben has not
let this very-important-person status go to his head.
He is as humble as ever and won't talk about his national
position unless asked. And even in his current predicament,
Ben is gracefully staying afloat. He is continuing to
confer with the school administration to try to find
a solution the best way he knows: through persistent
debating.
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