Leadership

Austin Rhetoric Club (ARC) is parent sponsored & student run. Our vision is to promote leadership among youth while still maintaining parental involvement. ARC has both a board of directors, which is composed of select parents, and a board of officers, which is made up of students who are given specific responsibilities.

“Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” ~1 Timothy 4:12

Current Board of Directors

Dale and Sandra Amason
Mark and Cherri McIlheran
Bill and Liz Morgan
Brian and Julia Russell

2020-2021 Officers

President:  Hannah P
Vice President:  Emma W
Secretary:  Jennifer P
Male Chaplain:  Jeremiah M
Female Chaplain:  Addie A
Service/Social Coordinator:  Heather P
Webmaster:  Nathan S
Sergeant at Arms:  Charlotte R
Deputy Sergent at Arms:  John M, William R, Silas W
Hospitality:  Caroline R
Photographer:  Mallory C

What is an Officer?

Officers are the students leaders of the club. They are each responsible for specific functions within ARC. All officers must be committed and attend regularly. Certain positions require extra commitment, and those are noted. Every officer must deliver a speech on election night to be elected. The President will call officers meetings periodically. Each officer will serve for a one year term and can also be reelected to that office. Each position should be held by a different person, if possible.

President

  • Coordinates with ARC Board members and parent coaches to create a plan for club member educational opportunities that are in keeping with the mission statement of ARC and NCFCA
  • Leads weekly ARC club meetings
  • Leads officer meetings
  • Works with parent leadership to plan and lead special events such as new member workshop, economics workshop, club parties, and end-of-the-year banquet
  • Works with the Vice President to identify needed areas for organization and growth
  • Delegates duties to other officers and provide accountability
  • Demonstrates effective communication with adult leadership, students and, special guests
  • Demonstrates a commitment to the club’s mission

Qualifications:

  • Be very committed to the club
  • Be in high school
  • Be a returning club member

Vice President

  • Assists the President in executing his/her responsibilities
  • Works closely with the President in encouraging a positive club atmosphere
  • Coordinates speech preparation and speech presentation room assignments
  • Assigns parent coaches to speech event rooms for the purpose of giving feedback to students using the dry erase board system and electronic sign-up
  • Leads club meetings in the event of the president’s absence
  • Works with the Secretary to arrange end of year appreciation gifts for parent coaches

Qualifications:

  • Same as with President
  • Works well with the President

Secretary

  • Takes detailed notes for officer meetings and relays notes to officers and parent leadership
  • Generates club rosters with contact information and shares email list with other officers to facilitate weekly emails
  • Creates, distributes, and stores name tags for club members, especially at the start of a new club year
  • Generates and organizes handouts for workshop folders
  • Creates signs for speech preparation and presentation rooms
  • Works with Vice President to arrange for parent appreciation at the end-of-the-year banquet
  • Assists the Treasurer in recording payments for items such as pizza order
  • Writes club thank you notes

Qualifications:

  • Good at taking notes
  • Returning club member
  • Eighth grade or above

Treasurer

  • Works with parent leadership to determine budget needs for officers such as Secretary, Chaplain, Hospitality, etc.
  • Communicates to officers their allotted budget for their specific responsibilities
  • Maintains detailed expense ledger
  • Accepts receipts from officers and keeps track of expenses
  • Works with parent leadership to give out reimbursements for club expenses
  • Announces opportunities for love offering to our host church
  • Collects love offering and gives to parent leadership for deposit
  • Informs club members of future tournament expenses

Qualifications:

  • Good with math and money
  • Very committed to the club
  • Returning club member
  • Eighth grade or above

Chaplain (Male/Female)

  • Encourages club members to focus on Jesus Christ as they address issues from a Biblical worldview in a manner that glorifies God
  • Leads club meetings in prayer
  • Maintains a list of prayer requests
  • Seeks to assist club members in ministering to each other in various ways (meals for families, packages and cards for a parent deployed overseas, cards, etc.)
  • Works with President and Vice President to maintain club unity and fellowship

Qualifications:

  • Committed believer in Jesus Christ with spiritual leadership qualities
  • Ninth grade or above

Service/Social Coordinator

  • Coordinates service opportunities throughout the year
  • Works with President to facilitate opportunities for fellowship
  • Works with President and Club Leadership to plan the end-of-the-year banquet

Qualifications

  • Ninth grade or above
  • Initiative to find appropriate service opportunities for the club to minister to the community
  • Initiative to coordinate social events to promote club unity
  • Ability to research and communicate details of events to President and other club leaders

Webmaster

  • Maintains the club website
  • Ensures that the online version of Mr. Bill Board is updated and functioning properly
  • Coordinates intra-club communication between members
  • Works with the Evidence Ring Master to oversee evidence sharing as related to the website
  • Works through the summer following his/her term, as needed

Qualifications

  • Comfortable with technology
  • Consistent computer access
  • Dedication to the club

Evidence Ring Master (ERM)

  • Maintains the evidence submitted from other students
  • Facilitates the club’s collaboration on research
  • Encourages students to complete assignments and find relevant, convincing evidence
  • Note: There may be a different ERM for Apologetics, Extemporaneous, Lincoln Douglas Debate, and Team Policy Debate.

Qualifications:

  • Evidence and technology skills
  • Committed to the club
  • Returning club member
  • Eighth grade or above

Sergeant at Arms

  • Arrives early to set up the facility
  • Leads a team of 3 deputy Sergeant at Arms to mobilize club members to set up and clean up facility before and after meetings
  • Ensures that all areas are clean before everyone leaves
  • Coordinates with the Hospitality officer to determine needed chairs and tables for meetings and special events

Qualifications:

  • Must be a regular attendant
  • Sixth grade or above
  • Possesses leadership capabilities

Deputy Sergeant at Arms

  • Follows the direction of the Sergeant at Arms to mobilize team members to set up and clean facility before and after meetings

Qualifications:

  • Must be a regular attendant
  • Sixth grade or above
  • Possesses leadership capabilities

Hospitality

  • Communicates with President regarding calendar of club meals, designating which dates are brown bag, potluck, or pizza
  • Maintains box of paper goods, utensils, decorations, etc. for meals and special events
  • Oversees the setting up paper goods and drinks at each club meeting
  • Organizes potluck meal sign-ups

Qualifications

  • Seventh grade or above

Photographer

  • Documents club meetings, events, and tournaments through photographs and videos
  • Works with Webmaster to upload photos onto the club website
  • Invites club members to upload photos for end of year slide show
  • Creates slide shows for club events, when necessary

Qualifications

  • Owns a camera