November 10-12, the Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) hosted the 56th Arkansas Student Congress in Little Rock.

Arkansas Student Congress is the oldest model legislative event in the state. Established in 1968, the event provides a unique opportunity for both high school (House) and college (Senate) students to simulate the representative democratic process at a state-wide level. For over 50 years, ACTAA has hosted this tournament, which includes the opportunity for students to participate in mock party caucuses, committees, and floor debates over student-written legislation. On Sunday of the tournament, parties, caucuses, and committee meetings were held at an Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock. On Monday & Tuesday of the tournament, students debated original student legislation in committee chambers in the State Capitol Building.

The 2024 Arkansas Student Congress’ top delegates included:

Chance Bradford of Mills University Studies High School in Little Rock earned the Mary Ingalls Award in House III for exceptional knowledge and appropriate use of parliamentary procedure. Bradford also received excellent rankings in committee and superior rankings in caucus, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate; and was named the highest-scoring delegate from the Mills delegation.

Kendall Cloar of Little Rock Central High School earned the Mary Ingalls Award in House II for exceptional knowledge and appropriate use of parliamentary procedure. Cloar also received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate and was named the highest-scoring delegate from the Little Rock Central delegation.

Michael Hatfield of Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School in Little Rock earned the Mary Ingalls Award in House I for exceptional knowledge and appropriate use of parliamentary procedure. Hatfield also received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate; and authored with fellow Parkview student Ian Roberts a Law of Student Congress–House Bill 113, “a bill to ban the advertising of prescription drugs to combat overprescribing in the United States.”

Aaron Oesterle of Har-Ber High School in Springdale was recognized as the highest-scoring delegate in House III. Oesterle also received superior rankings in parliamentary procedure and floor debate, where he was named the best overall floor delegate in House III; and authored House Bill 310, “a bill to reform school lunches and accessibility,” the second place best bill in House III.

Lillian Stockton of Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School in Little Rock was recognized as the highest-scoring delegate of congress. Stockton received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate; and authored with fellow Parkview student J’siah Thomas House Bill 208, “a bill to regulate homeschooling in Arkansas to protect child wellbeing,” the first place best bill in House II.

Winona Watson of Har-Ber High School earned the Melinda Milloway Valdez Award for being the highest-scoring delegate in House I. Watson was also elected clerk of House I and received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate.

Max Green of the University of Arkansas earned the Mary Melekian Richardson Award for being the highest-scoring delegate in the Senate. Green also received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate; and authored Senate Bill 403, “a bill recommending to the United States Congress to repeal the renewable fuel standard,” the first place best bill in the Senate.

Rainey Page of Arkansas State University earned the Marguerite Pearce Metcalf Award for exceptional knowledge and appropriate use of parliamentary procedure in the Senate. Page also received an excellent ranking in committee and superior rankings in caucus, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate.

The top high school delegations included Conway High School in third place, Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School in second place, and Har-Ber High School in first place. While the top college delegations included the University of Central Arkansas in third place, Arkansas State University in second place, and the University of Arkansas in first place.

In model-party leadership, Rocco Hicks of Arkansas State University was elected Republican Party Leader, Ganesh Nair of the Academies at Jonesboro High School was elected Republican Party Secretary, Kevin Durden of the University of Arkansas was elected Democratic Party Leader, and William Hacker of the Academies at Jonesboro High School was elected Democratic Party Secretary.

In model-House leadership, Lex Gamble of Dardanelle High School was elected Speaker of House I, Winona Watson of Har-Ber High School, Clerk of House I, Matthew Collins of Episcopal Collegiate School, Speaker of House II, Emily Starkey of Har-Ber High School, Clerk of House II, Manvitha Narasimhan of Bentonville High School, Speaker of House III, and Addison Choate of Conway High School, Clerk of House III. In model-Senate leadership, Benjamin Shoptaw of the University of Arkansas was elected President Pro Tempore and Dice Ferguson of the University of Central Arkansas, Clerk,

Original student-written legislative awarded best bill by a blind attorney included: House Bill 108 authored by Willow Toney of Mills University Studies High School, “a bill to raise the felony charges of incest in Arkansas and allow victims of incest an abortion;” House Bill 208 authored by Lillian Stockton & J’siah Thomas of Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School, “a bill to regulate homeschooling in Arkansas to protect child wellbeing;” House Bill 306 authored by Jonathan Sykes of Dardanelle High School, “a bill to reform prison labor systems and abolish prison slavery;” and Senate Bill 403 authored by Max Green of the University of Arkansas, “a bill recommending to the united states congress to repeal the renewable fuel standard.”

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The Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is a non-profit professional organization serving educators. Its purpose is to promote communication, debate, forensics and theatre as an essential discipline, life skill, and art form. Additionally, ACTAA is the official sanctioning organization authorized by the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) and National Federation of State High Schools Association (NFHS) to govern interscholastic speech and debate competition in Arkansas.