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Legislative Officer Job Description

As the legislative officer of New Voices Texas, I work to build relationships between our supporters and members of the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate. 

This involves setting up meetings with members of the Legislature’s education committees, identifying bill sponsors, and providing them with the resources they need to advance the legislation through the lawmaking process. 

I will familiarize myself with the legislative process and work to educate other supporters about effective strategies needed to pass a bill into law. I will work to build positive relationships with lawmakers of all parties to pass this non-partisan law that will benefit all Texans.

I also work with the Student Press Law Center to enlist experts on matters of censorship and student press rights to ensure we are providing accurate and helpful information to pass New Voices legislation.

I will work closely with the other New Voices board officers to organize lobbying efforts in which supporters will show their support for the immediate need for this law to ensure the press rights of students and protect teachers and administrators from misconceptions involving the publication process.

I will assist in the coordination of efforts to build support from various stakeholders including school board trustees, administrators, students, and parents.

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Communications Officer Job Description

As the Communication Officer, I will take the lead in coordinating publicity efforts via the website, social media channels and media outreach campaigns.

I use storytelling and visual design to make informative presentations to educate supporters and decision-makers. I will keep all members and people involved on the New Voices journey updated as things advance. I will ensure the New Voices identity is easily represented in everything we create and share.

I will work to create material for other officers, when needed, to create a smooth process when sharing and spreading information. I will guide the voice and look of New Voices to be professional and informative by creating visually appealing presentations. With the information provided by other officers, I will design materials for use within their areas of focus.

I am responsible for creating an environment of open conversation about student journalistic rights by keeping everything up to date and accessible for everyone to stay connected and informed.

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Regional Organizer Officer Job Description

As Regional Organizer Officer my position requires the acts of compiling contacts and making representatives and allies of our organization familiar and aware of New Voices. Growing familiarity with the organization will ensure more recognition with representatives, legislators, and our communities. 

I will help ensure that our organization and efforts are known within my region. Keeping contact with coordinate advocates and other officials will help keep New Voices prepared and organized for advocacy days, such as lobby days, informal sessions, and hearing attendances. Along with contacting coordinate advocates, I will also create and compile presentations, resources, and schedules for any New Voices related meetings. 

I will be working closely with our State Organizer Officer and Legal Officer to organize New Voices events and meetings. It is also pertinent that I work along with our Communication Officer to efficiently contact the needed allies and officials that will ensure the success of our meetings.

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State Organizer Officer Job Description

In my position as State Organizer Officer, my first charge will be to build a coalition of supporters to pass a New Voices law in Texas. This will require collaborating with my fellow board members to organize communication, recruitment, education, and lobbying efforts. I will also work closely with the Regional Organizing Officers to bring stakeholders from all areas of the state together for a coordinated lobbying effort before and during the upcoming legislative session, which will start in January.

As a lead organizer for New Voices Texas, I will have a managerial role in which I will check in regularly with my fellow officers and set a calendar of when certain tasks must be completed. 

I will also work closely with the Legislative Officer to regularly communicate with elected representatives and other allies for our organization throughout the state of Texas. Establishing relationships with supporters across many districts will create a more diverse coalition and allow New Voices to have a broader range of support. During the legislative session, I will also be organizing lobby days when students will speak in front of legislators in hopes of gaining their support for the passage of a New Voices law.

I will also collaborate with our Communications Officer to build our online presence by utilizing platforms to ensure that allies have the opportunity to contribute to New Voices in many ways, including signing petitions, attending online panels, and facilitating correspondence with representatives and decision-makers and influencers across the state. 

As a strong team of student leaders, we will advocate for student press freedom rights and educate others on the importance of student journalists in our communities. 

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Education Officer Job Description

As Education Officer, my role will entail raising awareness regarding the fundamental origin of the fight for lasting student press freedom and the precedents that altered the rights of the student press including the influential Hazelwood and Tinker court cases. 

I will support New Voices Texas educational efforts by reaching out to fellow student journalists in Texas with the help of my fellow officers. I will educate on the crucial nature of the press and why censorship stifles ethical and honest journalism. I hope to spread a greater understanding of what we as student journalists can do to help fellow student journalists learn about their rights. I will work to spread information about what the New Voices movement is trying to achieve and how we wish to achieve it specifically through legislative action. 

I will work with the organizational officers and communications officer to set up a system of communication to facilitate educational posts regarding New Voices and student press rights. I will also work with the Club Development Officer to make sure individual schools have the tools and resources to create their own branches of New Voices in their school communities which can feed into the larger movement as a whole. 

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Club Development Officer Job Description

The primary role of the position is to work with students in schools, primarily high schools, across Texas to form official school clubs centered around New Voices Texas. The clubs would preferably include both student journalists and non-journalism students as well as staff and teachers who desire to participate.

The officer should utilize New Voices Texas social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as mailing lists to connect with students and staff that would be interested in forming a club at their school. One effective strategy would be to reach out to journalism advisers at various schools asking for any students who could lead the foundation of a New Voices club. Once willing students/staff have been contacted, the officer can begin aiding in the club foundation process. 

The goal for the 2020-2021 school year is to form at least three clubs that have active participation in their schools as well as with the New Voices Texas campaign.

The club development officer should attempt to create official New Voices clubs in any school with students or staff who demonstrate interest. The overall goal of the club development is to generate support and interest in New Voices among both student journalists and non-journalist students. The more students and staff that support the organization, the more powerful the campaign will become, forming a larger volunteer force and an increased amount of engagement in the lawmaking process. 

When interest in New Voices is expressed by all students, regardless of their participation in journalism, schools and school districts are more likely to express support for the New Voices Texas campaign.