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Introducing the NVT Regional Organizers

The regional organizing team works to build a more pronounced and diverse coalition of student journalists across the entire state. Four officers have been assigned to serve as Regional Organizers for the North, East, West and South/Central Texas regions. We have divided the the state using Texas’ regional Education Service Centers and grouped them together for each of our regional organizers to better focus their efforts.

We encourage students looking to get involved with New Voices Texas to contact the organizer focused on building the movement in your part of the state. Please review our map and the Texas Education Agency’s Education Service Center map to help you find your NVT regional organizer.

MaKalie Farmer — mkbeals@icloud.com

MaKalie is our new Club Development Officer and is a Regional Officer coveraging ESC Regions 14, 15, 16, 17,18 and 19 in West Texas. She attends Abilene High School in the Abilene school district. She serves as the editor-in-chief of the The Battery student newspaper.

Kate Knauff — kateknauff@gmail.com

Kate is a Regional Organizer covering ESC Regions 9, 10 and 11 in North Texas. She attends Hebron High School in the Lewisville school district. She works for The Hawk Eye student newspaper.

Jessica Gil — jessica.6il1578@gmail.com

Jessica is a Regional Organizer covering ESC Regions 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 in East Texas. She will also help us produce podcasts for New Voices Texas this year. She attends Bellaire High School in the Houston school district. She serves as a staff writer for the Three Penny Press student newspaper.

Amoli Agarwal — amoli1agarwal@gmail.com

Amoli is a Regional Organizer for ESC Regions 1, 2, 3, 12, 13 and 20 in Central and South Texas. She attends Westwood High School in the Round Rock school district. She works as news editor for the Westwood Horizon student newspaper.

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West Texas Regional Organizer and Club Development Officer, MaKalie Farmer

As the West Texas (ESC Regions 14-19) Regional Organizing Officer and the Club Development Officer of New Voices Texas, I work to spread the story of student journalists across the state and reach out to other student publications to let them know they have a voice and a right to be heard. 

MaKalie Farmer

I am responsible for contacting student publications across regions 14 through 19 as a Regional Officer, reaching out to student publications and starting new clubs across the state, and getting the word out that New Voices is a cause worth fighting for.

I measure success as an officer by how much I influence people. I believe the more publications I can get to be interested in New Voices, the more likely we are to reach our goal. 

By the end of the school year, I hope I have made a substantial impact among student journalists and inspired them to fight for their rights. I also hope to inspire other students to find a cause they’re passionate about and advocate for change. 

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Legislative Officer, Carey Beth Wooley

As the Legislative Officer for New Voices Texas, I hold the responsibility of communicating with legislative officials in both the House and the Senate. I work to be a bridge between these legislative bodies and the supporters of New Voices legislation.

Carey Beth Wooley

I will attend meetings with both school board officials and people involved directly in the legislative process. In order to achieve this, I will further educate myself about the inner workings of the Texas legislative system as well as spread this information to our supporters and student journalist across the state.  

By the end of the year I hope to have begun talks with a senator who could possibly work with us. I also hope to have had meetings with school board officials and officials on the other side of this fight to further understand their thought process and to educate them about ours. 

To achieve these goals and get closer to our overarching aim to pass this bill, I will work closely with the other New Voices Texas officers to set up events and spread awareness about this important issue. This New Voices bill is crucial to not only student journalists, but Texans everywhere. Throughout this next year I hope to have helped this fight and gotten us just a little closer to being able to call Texas a New Voices state.

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North Texas Regional Organizer, Kate Knauff

As the North Texas (ESC Regions 9-11) Regional Organizer of New Voices, I work to educate other high school journalism programs in my surrounding regions about New Voices legislation and how they can show support in the upcoming legislative session.

Kate Knauff

I will do this by encouraging and aiding student journalists and programs in my region to implement New Voices clubs to further the scope of support for this piece of legislation.

I will work alongside the other officers to create resources and guide other programs in how they can bolster this organization. I hope that at the end of the year, I have created a strong enough foundation in my region to continue fighting to pass this legislation even after I graduate.

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East Texas Regional Organizer and Podcast Editor, Jessica Gil

As the Regional Organizer for East Texas (ESC Regions 4-8) and Podcast Editor of New Voices Texas, I work to ensure that all of the East Texas region is aware of our attempts to pass the New Voices legislation. 

Jessica Gil

This state law will protect student journalists from censorship by school officials and cure problems with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1988 Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier decision. I am responsible for building connections with supporters and allies to promote the New Voices movement. I will also work to recruit new advocates from high schools, whether it be student journalists, teachers, or administrators in the East Texas region. I have created the first ever podcast for New Voices Texas, where I will be hosting in-person or virtual interviews with student journalists, school administrators, and even lawmakers that are with our cause. I will be doing this in order for student journalists, school administrators, representatives, and all of Texas to become more familiar with our organization as it gains traction. 

As an officer, I will measure success by gaining as much support as possible, both in terms of podcast listeners and support from many high schools, legislators, and anyone who is unfamiliar with New Voices. I hope that by the end of this school year, I will have garnered as much support as possible from both existing New Voices supporters and new supporters that I hope to recruit. 

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Communications Officer, Catharine Li

As the Communications Officer of New Voices Texas, I work to relay important updates about the New Voices movement in Texas. I will ensure that our digital advocacy efforts are carried out in a timely, concise, and clear manner.

Catharine Li

While coordinating dynamic publicity efforts, I will utilize compelling visuals to amplify informational material, leading outreach projects to mobilize our campaign audience to take action by way of our website and various social media platforms.

Both empowered and awed by the sheer diversity and tenacity of scholastic media programs across the state, I seek to strengthen the inextinguishable spirit of community, using a plethora of powerful social platforms as a purposeful vessel for driving visibility, calling attention to the significance of young voices. By facilitating a welcome space for open discussion, building a forum to share forthright perspectives about the challenges and triumphs of the student journalist experience, I will help develop a stronger, more resilient coalition of supporters. 

Beyond simply raising awareness with these platforms, I will help build connections to facilitate sharing the stories of Texas student journalists. It is my ultimate goal to work with my fellow officers to galvanize lasting change, increasing transparency between students, consumers of scholastic media, and parties of influence, encouraging them to pass a New Voices law in Texas.

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Education Officer, Keana Saberi

As the Education officer of New Voices Texas, I work to curate educational materials that detail our mission to prioritize the legal rights of student journalists.

Keana Saberi

In conjunction with this effort, I work to inform others on the crucial role of student journalists and how the student press is a fundamental forum highlighting a myriad of perspectives and empowered voices while adhering to ethical and professional journalistic standards.

In addition, I will discuss the prevalence of censorship and how the New Voices movement seeks to combat unduly censorship of the student press. I will create educational content that is credible and can be dispersed to further expand the growing quantity of New Voices supporters and student journalism advocates.

My hope is that by the end of my high school career, I have helped to bolster this critical effort and have contributed to student journalists receiving the respect and full-encompassing rights they deserve.

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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.