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VERMONT SECRETARY OF STATE - Jim Condos | |||||||
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October is Proclaimed Archives Month in Vermont - September 30, 2010 Secretary of
State Urges Students to Study Vermont's Constitution - September
10, 2010 September
30, 2010
Middlesex. Governor Jim Douglas has proclaimed October as Archives Month in Vermont. This is part of a national celebration of the importance of historical records to our lives. “Historical and archival records document our rights and obligations; provide information about our family histories and genealogies; offer context to current issues; and allow us to examine our history,” says Secretary of State Deb Markowitz. Historical records are available across our communities in Vermont. They are in municipal clerk offices, local historical societies and libraries, museums, in the special collections of our colleges and universities, and in the state archives. This year, the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA) is asking for “archives stories.” Greg Sanford, State Archivist, says, “This is an opportunity for Vermonters to share moments in which a historical record opened their eyes to something about their lives, their research, or the world around them.” To submit a story, contact Greg Sanford at gsanford@sec.state.vt.us or 802-828-3700. These paragraph-length stories will be posted on the VSARA website. To see these stories go to http://vermont-archives.org/. --30--
September 1, 2010 Secretary of State Seeks Nominations for Centennial Nonprofit Awards Montpelier. Is your nonprofit a century old? If yes, then the Secretary of State is looking for you! Secretary Deb Markowitz is seeking applicants for the 2010 Vermont Centennial Nonprofit Awards program. This program honors nonprofits that have operated in Vermont for at least 100 years. Any nonprofit that has been in operation in Vermont for 100 years or more can participate in this awards program by filling out an application form. Secretary Markowitz said, “The Vermont Centennial Nonprofit Award acknowledges Vermont's oldest nonprofits for enriching our heritage. This program deepens our understanding of how Vermont's nonprofits have enhanced our community life during the last hundred years.” “It is important to recognize Vermont's nonprofits for their longevity," added Markowitz. “It takes a tremendous amount of dedication to keep a nonprofit active for 100 years.” Award recipients will be honored at a reception to be held later this year at the historic Vermont State House. For more information about the awards program and to print an application form, visit the Vermont Centennial Nonprofit Awards page on the Secretary of State's website: http://www.sec.state.vt.us/centennial_nonprofit.html or contact Ginny Colbert at 802-828-2148. Applications are due by September 30, 2010. ### |
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PRESS RELEASE ________________________________________________________________________ Secretary Markowitz Urges Students to Study Vermont’s Constitution on Constitution Day Secretary of State’s Office offers resources on Vermont Constitution Montpelier. In 2004, the United States Congress adopted a law requiring every school that receives federal funds to teach about the Constitution on September 17, the day the document was adopted in 1787. Secretary of State Deb Markowitz is urging Vermont schools to not only look at the United States Constitution, but to also take time to study Vermont’s own constitution. “Constitution Day is the perfect time to remind teachers how to incorporate civics education into the curriculum,” says Markowitz. “Teaching students about the democratic process helps them become better citizens in the future.” Markowitz notes, “There is no better way to honor the founders of this country – and the founders of Vermont - than by developing the habits of citizenship in our next generation.” Markowitz adds, “This year we are using Constitution Day as a reminder that the Secretary of State’s Office offers an array of civics education materials for use in the classroom. Our newest publication, Revolution, Rights and Rules: A Student’s Guide to the Vermont Constitution, brings the Vermont Constitution to life and helps students understand how this document continues to impact their lives every day and introduces them to how the constitution was developed and describes the circumstances that shaped the thinking of its authors.” Revolution, Rights and Rules helps middle school students understand the 220 year-old document which is the founding document of Vermont. The 40 page booklet includes questions, writing assignments, and activities that encourage students to use analytical and critical thinking skills to express their own ideas. It concludes with an exercise where the class creates its own constitution. In addition to the constitution guide for students, the Secretary of State’s Office offers Vermont History, Facts and Fun, The Adventures of Bill – The Real Life Account of How a Vermont Bill Becomes a Law, and a series of booklets on the state’s unique town meeting process. “Several of our booklets were created to be used by students while touring the statehouse, such as Under the Golden Dome. In partnership with the statehouse staff we have also developed a legislative role play program where students actually participate in a mock legislative session at the statehouse. Our On the Road to Congress is a board game that teaches students about the election process,” explains Secretary Markowitz. These materials are free of charge to schools and can be viewed, downloaded or ordered online on the Secretary of State’s Kids’ Pages at www.sec.state.vt.us. ## |