In 5 minutes or less, you can help save NYS History Day funding!

Hi folks. I know I seem like a broken record, asking you over and over and over and over again to contact your state legislators to ask them to save our state funding. But here I am, asking one more time.

As you know, funding provided in the New York State Education Department budget has enabled us to expand the program over the past four years. Statewide participation has nearly tripled. Our program staff has provided National History Day curriculum materials to participating schools free of cost, increased our in-person teacher and student trainings, and developed comprehensive lesson plans and curricula.

You also are undoubtedly aware of what a difficult time it is for the State of New York, and that budget cuts are a reality. Like many other valued and valuable programs, New York State History Day is on the proverbial chopping block.

You are the voices that can help us to preserve the $180,000 in state support for the New York State History Day program. Please help us by contacting your state Senator and Assembly Member and asking them to support New York State History Day.

Whether or not you have written to your legislators about History Day in the past, it is a critical time to remind our state officials how much History Day means to our state. And this time we are making the job of writing your legislators very easy.

All you need to do is download our letter, address it to your state senator and assembly member, sign and mail (or email) it to your legislator. No need to customize it (unless you want to.)

Here's what to do:

* Download our sample letter, which you can use to contact your local legislators here: http://www.nyshistoryday.org/NYSHDActionAlert.htm
* Visit www.congress.org and type in your zip code to find contact information (address and email) for your state senator and assembly member.
* Fax, mail or send your customized letters or e-mail as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support of New York State History Day!