March 26, 2016
Happy Easter!
Many wonderful things have happened since my last blog. I
will attempt to catch my followers up as I explain my long delay in blogging.
As you went remember, I completed my Journey Across Florida on
October 4, 2015. Why do I remember this day so well?
Many reasons but it also marked 30 years of being married to
my wonderful wife. It marked the day that I was stuck in Tallahassee with my
car engine blown and refused to go any further.
It truly tested my faith and belief in my mission that day.
I managed to get my car to a service center and rented a car from Enterprise
and completed my mission.
After experiencing such a memorable time, I became convinced
that the 200,000 fifth grade students in Florida would have a personal copy of
the United States Constitution booklet. Once they got their booklets they could
use this document at school, at home, and within their communities.
My hope would be that: their parents, educators, family
members, friends, and educational officials, would help them; to develop those
4,440 words along their educational journey. The journey would continue from
elementary, to middle school, onto high school, and upon completion of their
K-12 experience they will take this United States Constitution booklet with
them onward to college or their next stage of their life journey.
I had the great honor on Good Friday, March 25, 2016 to
complete my presentation at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in
Naples. I had a truly great time speaking about the United States Constitution
and my experience in getting copies of the Constitution to our youth in
Florida.
I not only had an opportunity to speak to such a lovely
group of "Patriots" but for the first time in my presentations I had
an assistant. Kaitlyn Salyer shared with the DAR members how our young students
can indeed show mastery of the United States Constitution and apply it at any
time.
Kaitlyn earned a standing ovation from the wonderful members
from the audience just as she did during each of the practice presentations
before heading off to the American Legion State Oral Contest in Orlando,
Florida.
Please keep the name Kaitlyn Salyer in your mind because
this young junior is going to be the first Junior Scholar member to make our
new Scholar Serial Video. She is this good and well deserving of the wonderful
praises she has earned.
Please look forward to her video in the next few weeks as we
continue with the Scholar Series. If you missed the presentations from Dr. Sean
Foreman, Barry University, Rep. David Jolly (FL 13), or Rep.Tom Rooney (FL 17); you can contact me and I will make sure
that you get a copy of the Scholar Serial.
The Scholar Serial is just one of the additional things the school districts will be getting at no cost with the commitment they have given to their students; once they get copies of the United States Constitution booklets to their fifth and many cases both the fifth and seventh grade students.
What a great deal that a $1.00 investment in our students
can have! As a matter of fact, I am very happy to report after my presentation
the DAR members contributed $305.00 for my speech on the Constitution. I
immediately turned this contribution over to the Rotary Club Naples Collier
toward getting the next 3,500 Constitution booklets for the students of Collier
County Public School District. Those 3,500 booklets will be given out during
Constitution Week in September 2017.
Collier County is one of the twenty nine (29) school
districts with the support of the local Rotary Clubs, VFW Posts, and American
Legion Posts to obtain the United States Constitution booklets for their fifth
and in some cases the seventh grade students. The list of the school districts
are available upon request.
I strongly believe that with your support we can reach the
other thirty eight (38) school districts. If your school district is not one of
those 29 school districts; I will challenge you to stop in and speak with your
superintendent or school officials and ask why not give your students an
opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the Constitution at every level of
development along their educational journey by making a commitment to getting
copies of the United States Constitution to their fifth grade student (and
seventh grade students when possible). Our youth deserve this resource material
to carry with them along their K-12 experience and into their life
journey.
Please continue to follow me as we count down this school
year with fulfilling the entire mission of getting those 200,000 Unites States
Constitution booklets in the hands of our students.
Happy Easter,
Joseph Cofield
