ISTEP - Chapters and Leadership

Chapters can be big or small. Current chapter members range from 3 to 200! But no matter the situation, creating a chapter is simple; one adult chapter advisor and a minimum of three youth members in grades 7 through 12 is needed. Then, the adult chapter advisor registers the chapter online. 

ISTEP Chapters can be formed in any setting where 7 through 12 grade youth meet. Chapters are most commonly formed in a school setting, however the ISTEP program has a goal to expand this. Think outside the box; chapters can be made up of members from a church youth group, scout troop, 4-H group, YMCA program, sports team, or any other community setting where 7-12 grade youth meet.  

The structure of the chapter is completely up to the local adult chapter advisor. It is recommended to have separate chapters for youth in middle school versus youth in high school, yet collaboration among age levels is acceptable and encouraged. For example, the high school chapter members can take the lead of an event and model their leadership skills to the younger students, while middle school youth can bring their never-ending energy and excitement. 

It is also up to the chapter to decide how they’d like to be structured. It’s common to elect a President, Vice President and Secretary. Establishing chapter requirements and rules, keeping meeting minutes and an attendance log is recommended to have a successful active chapter, however, is not required. 

How much time does an ISTEP Chapter require? 

This is completely up to the Chapter. However, ISTEP never has a dull moment and there is always something that can be done. Each chapter is encouraged to participate in the toolkits created by the Council each year. Additionally, Chapters may choose to put on events unique to their community. It’s up to the Chapter to decide how often they’d like to meet, but it’s recommended to meet once a month or every other month to stay up to date on upcoming activities, chapter event planning, etc. At the beginning of the school year, it’s recommended Chapter members decide how many activities they’d like to implement during the year. For reference, it’s common to have three meetings per one event. For example: 

1. Planning Meeting – determine details of the event. 

2. Implementation of Event – hold the event. 

3. Follow-up Meeting – discuss how the event went, what could be done differently in the future, then determine the date of the next meeting to plan the next event.