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

Board of Directors

Dale and Sandra A
Mark and Cherri M
Nathan and Tashan W
Oscar and Wei-Chung P

2022-2023 Officers

President:  Nathan S
Vice President:  Kate A
Secretary: Charlotte R
Chaplain:  Silas W
Hospitality: Zach R
Sergeant at Arms: Charlotte R / William R
Webmaster:  Annika S
Evidence Ring Master: Hannah C
Photographer:  William R

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 senior competitors who are 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 educational opportunities that align with the mission statements of ARC and NCFCA
  • Leads weekly ARC club meetings
  • Leads officer meetings
  • Works with parent leadership to plan special events, such as new member workshop, economics workshop, and end-of-the-year banquet
  • Works with the Vice President to identify areas that need organization and growth
  • Delegates duties to other officers and provides accountability
  • Communicates effectively with adult leadership, students, and special guests
  • Demonstrates commitment to the club’s mission
  • Attends Board-Officer meeting when scheduled

    Qualifications:

  • Age 14 or older
  • Returning club member

Vice President

  • Coordinates social events for club members to promote unity
  • Plans service opportunities for club members to minister to the community
  • Communicate details of events to President and other club leaders
  • Works with President and other leaders to plan the end-of-the-year banquet
  • Assists the President in executing his/her responsibilities
  • Works closely with the President in encouraging a positive club atmosphere
  • Coordinates room assignments for speech preparation/presentation
  • Facilitates student sign-up sheet for speech practice
  • Assigns parent coaches to speech rooms for the purpose of giving feedback
  • 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
  • Attends Board-Officer meeting when scheduled

    Qualifications:

  • Age 14 or older
  • Returning club member

Secretary

  • Coordinates intra-club communication between members
  • Takes detailed notes for officer meetings and relays notes to officers and parent leadership
  • Maintains an up-to-date club roster with contact information and shares email list with other officers to facilitate weekly emails
  • Creates signs for speech preparation/presentation rooms
  • Creates, distributes, and stores name tags for club members, especially at the start of a new club year
  • Generates and organizes handouts for workshops
  • Works with Vice President on 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
  • Attends Board-Officer meeting when scheduled

    Qualifications:

  • Age 13 or older
  • Returning club member
  • Good at taking notes

Treasurer

  • Works with parent leadership to determine budget needs for officers and events
  • Communicates to officers their allotted budget for their specific responsibilities
  • Maintains a detailed expense ledger
  • Accepts receipts from officers
  • Works with parent leadership to give out reimbursements for club expenses
  • Announces opportunities for love offering to the host church
  • Collects love offering and gives to parent leadership for deposit
  • Informs club members of future tournament expenses
  • Attends Board-Officer meeting when scheduled

    Qualifications:

  • Age 13 or older
  • Returning club member
  • Good with math and money

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
  • Helps new club members to feel comfortable and home
  • 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:

  • Age 14 or older
  • Committed believer in Jesus Christ with spiritual leadership qualities

Hospitality

  • Communicates with President regarding calendar of meals, designating which dates are brown bag, potluck, or pizza
  • Maintains supply 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
  • Assist President with end-of-the-year banquet

    Qualifications

  • Age 12 or older

Sergeant-at-Arms

  • Arrives early to set up the facility
  • Leads a team of three Deputy Sergeants-at-Arms to mobilize club members in setting up and cleaning 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:

  • Age 12 or older
  • Possesses leadership capabilities

Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms

  • Follows the direction of the Sergeant-at-Arms to mobilize club members in setting up and cleaning the facility before and after meetings

    Qualifications:

  • Age 11 or older

Webmaster

  • Maintains the club website
  • Ensures that the online version of Mr. Bill Board is updated and functioning properly
  • 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

  • General computer knowledge
  • Consistent computer access

Evidence Ring Master (ERM)

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

    Qualifications:

  • Age 13 or older
  • Returning club member
  • Evidence and technology skills

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