Next week, a delegation representing RIGEA will go to Washington D.C. to advocate for geography education. On February 26th I will personally meet with Senators Whitehouse and Reed, Congressmen Cicilline and Langevin. I those meetings I will encourage them to become sponsors of the Teaching Geography is Fundamental bill. I would like to encourage you to consider voicing your support for geography education with you representatives. 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.

It will help our cause immensely if the Members of Congress that I meet with have already heard from constituents about the importance of geography education, and about the existence of the Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act. I urge you to join me in a chorus of support for action by Congress. You don’t have to go to DC to help.

You can go to SpeakUpForGeography.org and send pre-written letters directly to your Senators and Representative. It only takes a minute to show support for K-12 geography education in our schools. By the time I visit Capitol Hill on February 26 our Members of Congress will know that I am speaking for a large and accomplished group of teachers, curriculum coordinators, university professors, and others who are making a difference here in the state.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to help me put geography “back on the map” with federal support. I am proud to represent the Alliance to our state leaders and I am hopeful that we can correct the troubling oversight that leaves Geography alone without funding. Please feel free to forward this message to others as well.