Melody Robidoux and her son Max Thompson live outside of Seattle, Washington.  Max has been very involved in the Junior State program in the Pacific Northwest and Melody, a native of Tucson, was so impressed with JSA that she asked how she could help bring the program to students in her home state of Arizona.  For this reason the Melody Robidoux Foundation generously awarded $300,000 over the next three years to kick start JSA in Arizona.  

The Junior State of America has a couple chapters in Arizona which, until this year, attended conventions in Southern California.  Beginning this year, Arizona JSA chapters will have their own Fall, Winter and Spring conventions as well as an Arizona Symposium during the summer.  

The “Founding Mothers” and “Founding Fathers” of the Arizona Junior State are already off to fine start.  To date, five high schools in Arizona have confirmed JSA chapters.   They include: Phoenix Country Day, Xavier College Preparatory, Peoria High School, Chaparral H.S., and St. Gregory College Preparatory in Tucson.  The Junior Statesmen Foundation has a new program director on staff, Mr. Dallas Gold, who will guide the launch and growth of the JSA program in Arizona.   
The grant has also given us an opportunity to reconnect with our existing contacts—educators, students, and alumni throughout Arizona.  The response from this group has been strong and very encouraging.  If you are a JSA alum, and are interested in information on upcoming JSA programs in Arizona, please contact our office at 800-334-5353 or visit the JSA Conventions and Events portion of the website.

The Junior Statesmen Foundation hopes to expand the JSA program in several other parts of the country through similar, local foundation or corporate grants.  Please contact us if you have information on an individual or organization that would be interested in building a partnership to sponsor the expansion of the Junior State of America.