Running For Office

What does an officer do on the WJCL board?

Each officer on the WJCL board has a specific job. These jobs are president, 1st vice president, 2nd vice president, parliamentarian, treasurer, historian, secretary, editor, and technology coordinator. Each officer has a specific job which can be found in a simplified version of the constitution. They all work together to make a cohesive board that runs state convention, elections, spirit, and anything else related to the JCL smoothly. 

Who can run for office? 

Anyone with a passion for Latin who is in 9th grade or higher can run for any office (except for president, where one must be in 10th grade or higher). Anyone interested in running must also be a member of both the WJCL and the NJCL (This does not mean they have to have attended nationals). 

Why should I run for office?

The WJCL needs passionate people to run for office. If you see ways to improve the WJCL, consider running for office, because you can make a difference. Serving as an officer is an unforgettable experience, which you will not regret. 

*If you're passionate for Latin, but you're not sure what position to run for, ask your friends, teachers, parents, and anyone else who knows you well! They will be able to give you good as to what position you would serve best.

What do I need to do in order to run for office?

In order to run for office, you MUST do the following:
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​1. Fill out the declaration of candidacy form and turn it into the WJCL Parliamentarian (Shloka Nambiar) By the December board meeting

2. Read carefully and sign the Candidate's code of conduct and turn it into the parli by the December board meeting

3. Talk to a teacher, and have them fill out the teacher recommendation, which must also be turned into the Parliamentarian by the December board meeting.

4. Have a passion for Latin and the classics!

What will I do at state as a candidate?

1) All candidates, no matter what office, must give a speech in front of all WJCL delegates. This speech has a limit of three minutes. Make sure that your speech does not exceed three minutes!
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2) All candidates have an open forum, where they will answer questions about their platforms and anything else about them. You MUST attend.

3) All candidates must be present at "Meet the Candidates". Delegates and sponsors can meet you during this event. Different people will ask the candidates different questions. This occurs on Thursday night, and is much more casual. Be prepared. 
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Courtesy of the WJCL Parliamentarian, all of the guidelines and procedures for these can be found on the wonderful Crash Course Constitution. 

Tips on how to run for office

​By being on this page, you have made the crucial first step.
Or rather: ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR LATIN KIND. 
Moreover, to help, every candidate please take the following advice into consideration.
1) Do not appear on stage unless fulfilling the duties of an already held office or giving your official speech.
2) This should go without saying, but, do NOT tamper with, remove, or cover any other candidate’s campaign materials. If you see someone doing this, tell them to stop.
3) Come up with your speech at least 1 month in advance. Practice it many times. Practice in front of an audience. Take feedback from the audience into consideration. Work on your speech, and remember, it does not have to be perfect! This is only for you to sound better and more prepared, this is not for the benefit of anyone else. 
4) Make sure to turn your forms in by the December board meeting. If you do not turn them in, you will not be able to run. No exceptions will be made.
5) Come up with a platform. This means creating ideas on how to improve upon the WJCL through your position. Yes, this may require some thinking, but the more you can do for the WJCL the better chance you have at winning your election. So, spend some time on this.  
6) Talk to the officer who currently holds the position you're interested in. This doesn't mean small talk. Ask them questions, see what they did for their platform, learn as much about the position as you can. 
7) Make sure you're ready for the time commitment of being an officer. This isn't to be taken lightly. You need to be at board meetings, and you need to learn to interact with your WJCL delegates! 
8) Learn as much about the position as you can before you run. If there are prerequisites to the job, know it to the fullest possible amount. Leave no room for questions, and actually understand your future position. 
9) Read this document, and fully understand the duties that your job entails. 

Learn about the jobs from the officers themselves!

WJCL President: Shir Bloch

WJCL 1st VP: Patrick Walsh

WJCL 2nd VP: Camille Deslongchamps

WJCL Parliamentarian: Ben Lorenz

WJCL Treasurer: Noah Abuhajir

WJCL Secretary: Eddie Kustner

WJCL Editor: Emma Canga

WJCL Historian: Livi Patel​

WJCL Tech Co: Ilia Mikhailenko

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