Lessons in Liberty; Bringing Patriotism to America’s Youth
By Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Mark Burleson, USMC EOD
Boot Campaign Hero Ambassador
As the evening sun was setting on December 9, 2011, a U.S. Marine took a walk of faith down a small alleyway in Sangin, Afghanistan. That walk would not end the way he wanted it to. He had the most dangerous job, in the most dangerous place in the world. He was a bomb tech, a highly trained and respected warrior, and was considered to be absolutely nuts by many of the service members with whom he worked.
That night has lived with me every day since I took that walk. It was the end of my military career, and the beginning of a journey that has been more challenging, and more rewarding, than anything I could have imagined. I was given a second chance at life through Boot Campaign. They didn’t offer me a hand out, like so many other organizations. They offered me a hand up, they gave me an opportunity to use my knowledge and experience to find a purpose and give back to my brothers in arms. I began volunteering and eventually became part of the staff. I was able to use my experience to help guide and even create programs that would actually make a difference.
During one of our monthly brainstorming sessions, an idea was brought forward about starting a program to reintroduce patriotic themes into our schools. I was confused, I remember my school days and we were always doing something patriotic; we decorated the classroom and dedicated the entire day to doing something for Veterans Day. Like so many others, I had no idea that a lot of the patriotic themes we remember from school had been removed. This idea was brought forward by former educators-turned entrepreneurs, some of the bravest and most humble women I have ever known. We wanted to create a program that would reengage our youth with pride and love for the freedoms we so often take for granted. That program is Boot Campaign’s Patriot League.
Kids spend so much of the school day concentrating on the past they often feel disconnected from what is happening around the world right now. We need to challenge them to take responsibility for the liberty we hold so dear. Through Patriot League, teachers around the country are able to engage their children with relevant, current issues. They learn how our liberty was won and defended, and they can put that information to use by engaging their community and raising awareness at home. It empowers children at an age, making me think they are so much smarter and informed than we ever were. Just give them the tools and watch their amazing compassion and innocence.
I had the opportunity to visit two schools this year that were part of the Patriot League inaugural launch. The kids in Ms. Brown’s third grade class at Bushlands Elementary outside of Amarillo, Texas were so excited and engaged in the program it blew me away. They were actively writing letters to deployed service members to let them know that even though most people don’t know we still have troops in combat, that the students know and support them. I also visited Garrett Jr. High outside of Las Vegas, where the entire school was involved. I was honored alongside veterans of every war, including a veteran who served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. At the end of the day, he shared with me that this was the proudest day of his life. He typically did not talk about his time in the military but the children created such a great environment that he was able to share things that day that he never had before.
So here’s the skinny on the program itself: Patriot League is an inspiring, kid-centered, activity-based program that promotes patriotism and community service among America’s youth through customizable, fun, and creative activities. It’s completely free for teachers, home school educators, PTA programs, civic leaders, and club directors to become “Program Captains” and bring Patriot League to kids in their communities. It launched was in fall 2015 and debuted with more than 60 classes onboard for its pilot session. A team of educators with more than 30 years of experience, including a New Jersey “Teacher of the Year,” developed customized activities and lesson plans to be used in K-12 classrooms.
Members of the team include: Diana Rambaldi of Nutley, N.J., whose original classroom project inspired Patriot League; Susan Patterson, retired educator with more than 25 years serving students in Biloxi, Miss.; and Melissa Spencer, former teacher and current Boot Campaign director with her finger on the pulse of promoting patriotism for all.
To get started, Program Captains visit http://www.bootcampaign.org/patriotleague/ and complete a quick, easy registration form online, then receive access to electronic materials to save and/or print to help promote patriotism and raise awareness about the military. Program Captains can choose to adopt compatible lesson plans that are easy to customize for all ages, standards, leadership styles, and overall goals, and have the option to help promote patriotism outside their group through the sale of patriotic bracelets. Throughout the program, fun challenges and celebrations keep kids and communities excited about honoring and appreciating military families, past and present.
I’m so excited to support Patriot League and America’s patriots-in- the-making, and to be part of a movement to engage kids in loving our country. For more information about Patriot League and other Boot Campaign initiatives, visit BootCampaign.org and follow @BootCampaign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
