10 Year Old Launches Civic Education Web Site Promoting Passage of New Education Bill

Sent to us by Mike Matsuda…

 10 Year Old Launches Civic Education web site promoting passage of a new education bill, The US and The World Education Act (HR 7063). See www.usandtheworld.org

WHAT: Ethan Matsuda and his dad, Michael, have created a website supporting The US and the World Education Act (HR 7063).  The inspiration for this project came from Ethan’s favorite movie, “October Sky,” the true story about a young boy from Appalachia who grew up to become a NASA scientist. Ethan says, “I think that what kids really want is the chance to study the world around us. Homer Hickam’s teacher brought the topic of the Space Race and Sputnik right into the classroom. They talked about it everyday and it really made the kids interested in science. In most classes today, we don’t get the opportunity to talk about or to study world issues.

My parents’ generation has left us a big mess of the world. Global warming, industrial pollution, famine, drought, war, and child labor are just a few of the problems we will have to tackle. We cannot wait for them to act.

We kids need to do something about this right now. We need to demand that our schools teach us about these big issues that we will have to solve if we are to have a world to enjoy for our generation. It’s time to take matters in our own hands and pass this law.”

This website is designed to be used as a tool to promote civic engagement by asking young people to write letters to congress in support of the “US and the World Education Act.”

WHY: On September 25, 2008, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez introduced the US and the World Education Act that will help prepare students for success in a globally connected world. The legislation would establish educational grants to help prepare America’s youth for competition in a global marketplace emphasizing 21st  Century Skills. The groundbreaking legislation will provide opportunities for teachers to be trained in standards based international education professional development, and allow districts to support partnerships with heritage language schools and international studies programs to supplement academic and global literacy.

Rep. Loretta Sanchez states, “There is little doubt that in order for us to remain competitive as an economic and military superpower, the United States needs to invest in educational infrastructure. Too many of our children are not prepared to succeed in an international market. Not only do they lack skills in math and science but also in foreign languages and critical awareness about global issues that are impacting every American. This bill will benefit our national economic and strategic security by funding teacher professional development focused on international education and supplemental programs that promote international education and foreign language in elementary and secondary schools through the creation a new grant program.”

For more information, please see www.usandtheworld.org

www.usandtheworld.org.

4 Comments

  1. Misha,

    Thank you for posting my website. By the way, we really like the Obama poster you created. I like the quote, “seeing is believeing.” I hope people visit my website and write letters of support for Loretta’s bill. Thanks.

  2. The author of Rocket Boys from which the movie October Sky is based is actually Homer Hickam, not Hickham. Go here: http://www.homerhickam.com. By the way, I live in the same city as Mr. Hickam and know that, politically, he’s conservative and a registered Republican.

Comments are closed.