ACTION ALERT! NYS History Day Needs Your Help!

Hi friends! It's been a while, but that usually means that we're up to something good in the New York State History Day office. I don't want to give too much away, but this year's t-shirts and buttons are simply brilliant! You'll have to wait until the State Contest to see them, though. Sorry!

Today I am posting about a more serious matter. Yes, it's that time of year where I beg you all to help us keep New York State History Day funded by the state. Over the past four years, members of the New York State Senate (especially our good friend, Senator James Seward) have recognized the value of our History Day program with an $180,000 appropriation in the State Education Department budget. This funding has enabled us to expand the program, and, since 2006, statewide participation has nearly tripled.

We've used a lot of the funding to provide National History Day curriculum materials to participating schools free of cost (did you know that many states have to charge for the Theme Book?), increased our in-person teacher and student trainings and attendance at regional contests, and developed comprehensive lesson plans and curricula.

But here's the catch with the funding: it doesn't automatically renew each year. Instead, we need to ask our state legislators to include us in the budget each year. Thanks to the overwhelming support of teachers, students, and parents, we have been successful in renewing the funding for the past three years.

So, again I find myself asking for your help. I can (and do) harass our state Senators and Assembly Members all the time to tell them how important History Day is to our state and its students. But it means more if it comes from YOU, the actual participants in the program. So please, please, please, write a letter to your local representatives today.

I've even created a template letter for you to start with, and information on how to find the contact information for your local legislators. You can find it all at our website here: http://www.nyshistoryday.org/NYSHDActionAlert.htm

A million thank yous in advance from a very lucky History Day Coordinator!