When I started this journey of promoting the United States Constitution across Florida in April 2014; I had no idea that I would encounter so many wonderful "Patriots"... and even more importantly I have been truly blessed by the great Floridians as well as those who love our nation.
Upon being accepted to take part in the James Madison Fellowship Foundation, my professional and personal life took on a very new meaning. As part of my training as a Fellow in learning the Constitution, I had to invest my entire summer in Georgetown with some of the most knowledgeable, dedicated; American Scholars, Educators, Teachers, and Patriots that I ever encountered in one place at any single time.
When I left Washington D.C. I vowed that I would share the great knowledge that I gained with not only my students but with every Floridian and as many citizens, future citizens, and non-citizens who would listen and desired to know about our Constitution.
I have felt in my 16 years of teaching in the public education system at the secondary level I was making a difference. However, I can honestly say that this month so far has been one of the greatest highlight of any month of September that I can recall in celebration of the Constitution.
Those of you who have been following my blog you are fully aware that on September 11, 2015 I dedicated part of my Journey Across Florida by doing 100 miles between September 11 and 12, 2015 to demonstrate my love for the Patriots on the day established for Patriot Day.
In January 2015, I had my first meeting with a Florida Public School District to discuss ways we could reach our youth in expanding their knowledge of the Constitution. The Miami-Dade Public School District directed a workshop for twenty one (21) elementary school teachers to come hear my story. They had much more than my story they heard the passion of Professor Sean Forman, Barry University of how the Higher Education Institutions could impact the K-12 Educational System with expanding the minds of the youth about the Constitution.
Those educators got an even greater treat because they got to learn of an organization that had some additional resources to assist them in achieving their goal of expanding the knowledge of their students about the Constitution. The 21 elementary teachers had Jimmy Sengenberger, President and CEO Liberty Day Institute come from his Headquarters in Denver, Colorado as a panel speaker to demonstrate how the Liberty Day Institute impacted the lives of the youth across Colorado. Those teachers now knew that they had more than a Constitution booklet to give their fifth grade students for their lifelong learning but they had another very important resource with the Liberty Day Institute to add in their "Tool Box" in assisting their students.
I was so moved from that conference that I personally donated 500 Constitution booklets from the hard work of our Liberty Day Institute Steering Committee and Collier County supporters to those 21 elementary teachers to get them started on getting Constitution booklets to each of their fifth grade students in the largest school district in our state in the 2015-2016 School Term.
Few of my Fellows and dear friends would have agreed that I have done my part and kept my promise that I made to them that I would do more with my knowledge than just reach my students. However, I knew that I owed our youth and our nation much more than just that simple act for one month. I decided along with the approval and support of our Steering Committee that we were going to continue beyond January and move forward toward a much higher goal.
Please continue following my blog and you will find out how each month lead to this wonderful celebration and best ever Celebration of Constitution Day in Florida and how we are continuing to gather support in reaching the goal of giving every fifth grade student in Florida their very own personal copy of the United States Constitution.
While you are waiting to view the next blog please check out the start of our celebration of the Constitution on Constitution Day which lasted deep into the evening across Florida with the Naples Daily News write up of the Celebration at the steps of the Court House in Collier County.
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.naplesnews.com%2Fnews%2Flocal-news%2Fconstitution-day-draws-a-crowd-in-collier-county_92193231&h=LAQHTIEqr
If you have a problem getting this link, you can email me or use any other form of social media to contact me and I will greatly get you a copy of the newspaper link.
Joseph
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