As we approach the close of another remarkable year, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your dedication, creativity, and passion, which make our organization truly special. Your unwavering commitment to advancing communication and theatre arts across Arkansas inspires and uplifts our students and the communities we serve.

The holidays mark a midway point in the academic year and a preferential time to reflect on our progress together. At the Summer Workshop in July, ACTAA Leadership released a draft strategic plan - "ACTAA in Action Planning Document" - designed to outline a series of initiatives and action items that prioritize and guide with work of the membership on how each discipline, each community and each member can contribute to achieving our vision of a “future where every student in Arkansas has the opportunity to be transformed through participation in communication, debate, and theatre arts." At the Fall Conference, the finalized draft was adopted. Since then, you and your fellow members have been hard at work. Making progress on living out the ACTAA in Action plan.

We have worked to increase our impact. The board approved a first of its kind sponsorship program, for members to help bring private support to the table and help fund ideas and initiative that you hope ACTAA to endeavor in that will invest in our members and student programs across the state. We have developed a launched the All-state Speech & Debate program which hopes to help members highlight the success of their individual students and programs with state-wide recognition that is relatable to other activities.  The board approved a process for Arkansas to nominate educators and students for the NFHS Heart of the Arts award, through creating our own Heart of ACTAA award. This award focusing on service and "sportsmanship" in the arts, is another great opportunity to highlight the commitment of individual students and programs with state - and potential national - recognition that is relatable to other activities.  Our Lifetime Members have been reengaged and are endeavoring to host social events to support each other with our community, with the potential for supporting some key initiatives in the future. We have invested in the leadership of our students through the Student Advisory Board, and I am excited to announce next month many of the initiatives they recommend we consider as a community.

We have expanded our voice and footprint of representation across the state. We have significantly increased our social media presence in ways that highlight the students at the focus of our work and serve. We launched Arkansas Speech & Debate Month, and continue to develop engagement to grow this opportunity to promote our disciplines and activities.

We have committed to the work of increasing our ability to adapt. The board has agreed to meet more regularly to be more responsive to the needs of our members, The membership has held the board accountable to this commitment through separating the Bylaws and Constitutions, hold the board responsible for its modernization. We created a new process for membership input on Bylaws changes that allows for more time for consideration and accountability of the board. We have continued to document practices in the ACTAA Organizational Handbook, to ensure continuity between leadership and volunteers. The membership demanded the creation of standardized tournament-shell, which the ASC committee has been working on - with plan for release for comments in January.

And, there is much more work to be done, together!

This holiday season, we have much to celebrate in ACTAA, as we accomplished a lot, and continue to collaborate on areas of growth to expand communication and theatre arts in our state. May your days be filled with warmth, laughter, and the company of loved ones, and may the new year ahead bring exciting opportunities for growth and success.

Thank you for being an essential part of our association. Together, we make a difference. Wishing you and yours a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year!