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ACTAA Committees
Arkansas State Championship CommitteeThis standing committee is charged with the planning and execution of, and the verification of qualifications to, the Arkansas Forensics & Debate State Championship Tournament held each Spring. The committee includes rotating service, where each member serves a defined role on the committee rotating positions each year, until ultimately serving as chair of the committee. The chair works with a permanent tournament director, who is appointed every five years, to coordinate the committee and administrate the Arkansas State Championship Tournament. Contact: Jessica Skordal, Chair (Bentonville West School) & Rosie Valdez-Block, Director (Little Rock Central High School) Arkansas Student Congress CommitteeThis standing committee is charged with the planning and execution of the Arkansas Student Congress event. ACTAA's Student Congress (STUCO) is the state's (and perhaps the nation's) oldest model legislative competition. The committee includes rotating service, where each member serves a defined role on the committee rotating positions each year, until ultimately serving as chair of the committee. The chair works with a permanent tournament director, who is appointed every five years, to coordinate the committee and administrate the Arkansas State Championship Tournament. Contact: Leigh Walters, Chair (Little Rock Central High School) & Martene Campbell, Director (Episcopal Collegiate School) Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Ad Hoc CommitteeThis special committee is charged with developing strategies for the association to ensure it is responsive to the needs, promotes the contributions of and strategically considers its diverse membership. The committee was appointed by Jacki Reiff, 2020-2021 ACTAA President, and has been reappointed every year since by Brandon Box-Higdem, 2021-2024 ACTAA President. The 2021 Summer Workshop was focused on brainstorming strategies and initiatives for ACTAA to adopt to help advance the mission of diversity, equity, & inclusion, In August 2021, the committee issued a report proposing initiatives to implement in association. Link to Report from the ACTAA 2021 Summer Workshop on Inclusion & Engagement. Contact: VACANT Ethical Practices CommitteeThis standing committee is charged with the promotion of ethical and professional practices within the association and in all of the activities sponsored by the association. The committee serves as a hearing body for allegations of unethical practices. The committee consists of a chair and three members appointed by the President. Contact: Dr. John Gale, Chair (University of Central Arkansas, retired) Nominations CommitteeThis standing committee is charged with nominating candidates to the general membership for election of the following positions: 2nd Vice President, Debate Representative, Forensics Representative, Professional Communication Representative, and Theatre/Dance Representative. Additionally, the nominations committee solicits nominations and selects the recipients of ACTAA Teacher of the Year, ACTAA Administrator of the Year, and Spirit of ACTAA awards. Contact: Brittney McGloflin, Chair (Fayetteville High South) Professional Standards CommitteeThis standing committee is charged with coordinating with the Arkansas Department of Education's Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to keep the association informed of the needs of the profession in the area of certification, licensure and academic standards. The chairman of the committee shall be appointed by the President for a three-year term. Other members of the committee are appointed by the President with recommendations from the chair for a three-year term. Contact: VACANT Publicity & Promotion CommitteeThis standing committee is charged with disseminating information about the association and the disciplines of debate, forensics, professional communication, and theater. The committee manages the association's social media and merchandise store at tournaments. The chair is appointed by the President for a three-year term. Other members of the committee are appointed by the committee chair for a three-year term. the 2nd Vice President serves as an ex-officio member. Contact: Greer King Chair (Washington Junior High School) Recruitment & Mentoring CommitteeThis standing committee is charged with disseminating information about ACTAA to the association to teachers in the disciplines of debate, forensics, professional communication, and theater across Arkansas. With a focus on adding and retaining new members, this committee coordinates new member activities such as, but not limited to, the mentor program, workshops at meetings, and resource contacts. The committee is also responsible for developing a membership retention plan for the association. The chair is appointed by the President for a three-year term. Other members of the committee are appointed by the committee chair for a three-year term. The Executive Secretary and the 2nd Vice-President are ex-officio members of the committee. Contact: Eric Gamble, Chair (Dardanelle High School) Scholarship CommitteeThis standing committee is charged with the administration and selection of the association's several scholarships; namely: the ACTAA High School Scholarships (one debate and one theatre arts), the ACTAA College Scholarship and the Jennifer Akers Memorial Scholarship. The Executive Treasurer serves as the chair, and the President appoints three additional members. Contact: Jenny Moses, Chair (Mount St. Mary's Academy) Theatre Ad Hoc CommitteeThis special committee is charged with developing strategies for the association to ensure it is responsive to the needs of Arkansas' theatre/ drama teachers, recruits theatre/ drama teachers as members and promotes theater as an essential discipline, life skill, and art form in Arkansas. The committee was appointed by Jacki Reiff, 2020-2021 ACTAA President, and has been reappointed every year since by Brandon Box-Higdem, 2021-2024 ACTAA President. With the 2022 amendment to the ACTAA Consitution and the creation of the Theatre/ Dance Representative, Brandon Box-Higdem appointed the Theatre/ Dance Representative as the ex-officio chair of the committee. Contact: Graci Johnson, Chair (Bentonville West High School) Tournament Advisory CommitteeThis standing committee is charged with aiding tournament directors and coaches who implement and attend tournaments when questions, problems, and issues exist. This focuses on providing a public forum for discussion about competition and aiding new coaches who might need guidance before, during, and after a tournament. The chair is appointed by the Executive Council, and membership includes any forensics or debate tournament directors hosted in the state of Arkansas. Contact: Sean Petersen, Chair (Don Tyson School of Innovation) |
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