I will never forget the day the ITO board created NAPS, the brand new student advocacy platform. How could we make advocacy cool? How could we appeal to a bigger crowd? What does nearly ever student like? NAPS!
National Advocacy Plain & Simple
And so it began. A specially-crafted workshop to encourage students to create their own definition of advocacy.
Know your facts, know your audience, know your purpose, tell your story.
Iowa Thespian Festival: two workshop sessions with other 100 participants. 
Missouri Thespian Conference: one workshop session with 89 students crammed in a 49-person room.
Mississippi Thespian Festival: one workshop session with 41 thespians, almost 1/3 of the festival attendees.
Before August of 2014, I did not truly know what advocacy was, why it was important, or that I already did it almost every day. I didn't know that I was being an advocate when I mentioned the Drama Club car wash to my homeroom, I didn't know advocacy was just sharing WHY arts are important, but more importantly I didn't know just how CRUCIAL it is for me to be an advocate.
The arts face challenges in many, many different ways. Our best defense is to be prepared, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic.
Did you know that students involved in arts score 105 points higher on the SAT? There are SO many more Did You Know's to discover, SO if you have the chance to take a NAPS workshop, seize it. Check out this website for other cool facts and information.
If you want to advocate and change the world, want to start a ripple effect, AND want a free trip to Washington D.C, then I encourage you to check out the Democracyworks essay contest. You and a chaperone could be advocating on Capital Hill at National Arts Advocacy Day this March!
If you want ANYONE to care at all, YOU must care first. 