Advocate For Geographic Education

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September 2011

Dear Alliance Member:

The Connecticut Geographic Alliance needs your help. We need to urge our Senators and Congressional Representatives to support a bill—called the Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act—that would authorize $15 million annually for teacher-training and materials in geographic education. Did you know that Geography is the ONLY required subject that does not receive any dedicated federal funding under No Child Left Behind? Not one dime. Yet, every other required subject receives support.

We urge you to join in a chorus of support for action by Congress and the Administration. You don’t have to go to DC to help. You can send an email to President Obama, Vice President Biden, and our federal delegates directly from a few federal websites. Here’s what to do:

1. To write the President, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact.
   
   • Fill in the required fields; the website will walk you through the rest!
     
     
2. To write your Senator, visit www.senate.gov/ .
   
   • In the upper right corner click “Find Your Senators,” click on your state’s name, and click “go.” Use the web form or address provided for each Senator.
     
     
3. To write your Representative, visit http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/index.html.
• Click on the link “Write Your Representative.”
• When prompted, just enter your Zip code and the website will walk you through the rest!
  
  
(In your email, it is important to mention the Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act. Customize the email by noting how long you have been teaching, why geography is important to you, and how being a member of your state alliance, participating in workshops/institutes, etc. has helped you and your students.)

It's just a few, short emails and it’s easy to do. If you take a few moments to write today, our Members of Congress will know that the Connecticut Geographic Alliance represents a large and accomplished group of teachers who are making a difference here in the state and who need their support.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to help the CGA put geography “back on the map” with federal support. Please feel free to forward this message to others as well.

Best wishes,

Bill DeGrazia
Co-coordinator
Connecticut Geographic Alliance

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