Because of Covid-19 and the guidelines currently in place, Arkansas Student Congress as we have traditionally hosted the competition will not happen this year in person over the traditionally scheduled dates of November 7th to November 9th, 2021. The Committee is greatly saddened to have to make this decision, but we must prioritize the health and safety of our students and coaches during this time.
However, the Committee is going to offer a modified version of ACTAA Student Congress that will include synchronous floor debate online. Hopefully, we will be back to our traditional tournament in November 2022. Because of the online format, the competition this year will shift to Friday, November 5th to Saturday, November 6th.
For ACTAA Student Congress 2021, students can compete in the following ways:
- · author a bill to enter into the best bill competition and to be debated in committees/floor debate
- · pre-record and submit a candidacy speech for office and make a campaign poster
- · debate in committees
- · debate in two floor sessions
- · take a parliamentary test live through on online platform on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 6th.
The following additional information may be found under the Events Tab - Student Congress 2021
● 2021 Congress Timeline/Schedule
● Entry Forms
● Bill Writing Instructions
● A Sample Bill
● 2020 Short Titles list for topics that may NOT be used this year
● T-Shirt Order Forms
● Rules for this year’s competition events
Should you decide to attend Student Congress, your completed entry form and one clear copy of each bill must be E-MAILED to ACTAACongress@gmail.com Please send your bills as Word documents or google docs (with editing permissions enabled). DO NOT SEND PDFs.
DEADLINES AND IMPORTANT DATES
Entry forms and bills to be submitted must be in the hands of the Congress directors by Monday, September 27, 2021. To avoid technical glitches and to ensure the receipt of your entry, please e-mail ACTAACongress@gmail.com. You will receive a confirmation within 24 hours. If you do not receive a confirmation, we did not receive your entry.
Coaches will created a Google Drive and share all school Campaign Posters to ACTAACongress@gmail.comby November 1st, 2021. Coaches will upload the Candidacy Speeches via Tabroom on this created registration by November 1st 2021.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF ALL DEADLINES; THEY ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED!
ENTRY INFORMATION
All delegations must be sponsored by an active member of ACTAA. Each coach is responsible for the Student Congress rule compliance of their delegation. Colleges may enter a maximum of eight delegates; high schools may enter a maximum of six delegates. Entries must be submitted on time. High School delegations can submit up to 6 bills (one per delegate) and college delegations can submit up to 4 bills. College students may still co-author bills if they choose to do so; however, a student may only be an author or co-author on one bill.
ENTRY FEES The entry fee for high schools is $125 and colleges/universities is $150 per delegation. Fees are payable upon the return of the registration form online at www.actaa.netor by mail to ACTAA Executive Treasurer, 1818 N. Taylor St., Ste. B #307, Little Rock, AR 72207. If this is not possible for your delegation, please make arrangements with the Congress Director. Please request checks now!
2021 ACTAA STUDENT CONGRESS COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Martene Campbell – ACTAA Student Congress Permanent Director
Julie Rine– Student Congress Director
Casey Griffith– Co-Director
Joe Kieklak
Rachel Mauchline
Jennifer Akers – Tabulation
Patrick Laxson – Immediate Past Director
IMPORTANT DATES
Entry and Bill Submission: Monday, September 27, 2021
Candidacy Speeches and posters uploaded: Monday, November 1, 2021
Parli Pro test taken virtually in a live meeting: Saturday, November 6, 2021
Virtual Awards Ceremony: Saturday, November 6, 2021
ACTAA MEMBERSHIP
If sponsors are NOT YET members of ACTAA, they must join! Remember membership runs from September to August. If you have not joined and would like to, please include full name/address (school and home, email) and a check made out to “ACTAA” for $50, and your membership will be forwarded to the Treasurer.
Current members: Your accounts must be up-to-date with no outstanding balances before your team will be able to compete. Please check your ACTAA accounts to see if you have any unpaid invoices.
Yours,
Julie Rine, Director (jrine@bentonvillek12.org)
Martene Campbell, Permanent Director (martene@gmail.com)
Arkansas Student Congress