Press Release: Teachers Invited to Become Nation-Builders on the 10th Anniversary of Sept. 11th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Teachers Invited to Become Nation-Builders on the 10th Anniversary of Sept. 11^th

Cleveland, Ohio — September 6, 2011 — Re-Imagine America®, a program developed by Purple America, invites teachers across America to strengthen the nation through classroom discussions about the secular, non-partisan values that connect us as Americans, beginning on the 10^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

“Our nation has a critical need for future leaders who understand what it means to be an American, and our teachers, who influence tens of millions of students every day, are in the best position to shape the future of our country,” says Roger Sidoti, Purple America vice chairman and retired principal of one of the 2010 “Best High Schools in America” according to U.S. News & World Report.   “As our nation struggles to right itself, who better than teachers to touch the hearts and minds of students to change the course of our beloved country?”

Purple America’s Re-Imagine America campaign encourages civil discourse by exploring the common set of values widely shared across America.  It is a national initiative of Project Love® Remember the Children Foundation, a character-building program that has trained more than 50,000 American teens and 2,000 educators to build a culture of kindness, caring and respect in their schools.

“By incorporating discussion of America’s core values into classroom learning, today’s teachers can engage students in character-building, critical thinking, collaboration and civic involvement,” Sidoti says. “These skills are urgently needed by the leaders of today and tomorrow. They are the skills that can transform the culture of a classroom and a school as well as a nation.” 

Purple America, through a partnership with the National Education Association, offers television programming, lesson guides and website resources at www.purpleamerica.usto help teachers prepare the next generation to imagine, collaborate and build America’s future.  Educators can begin now to access these resources to create student interactions.  The 12 values explored are: Equality, Faith, Family, Freedom, Love and Respect, Self-Expression, Doing the Right Thing, Community, Giving Back, the Good Life, Opportunity and Success.

A televised panel discussion airing in major cities across the country on Sept. 11^th is a key component of classroom instruction.  In it, congressional leaders and high school student-leaders will take on the topic “Getting to Common Ground and Greater Good” in today’s divisive political atmosphere.  Program moderators are Roger Sidoti and Stuart Muszynski, CEO of Purple America-Project Love® Remember the Children Foundation.

The program inspires Americans to remember and re-create the national unity experienced in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.  A broadcast schedule is available at www.nea.org and www.purpleamerica.us and streaming video of the program for classroom use or at-home viewing will be posted to the sites.

For more information, go to www.purpleamerica.us.

About Purple America®

Purple America is a national initiative of Project Love® Remember the Children Foundation, a character-building program that has trained more than 50,000 American teens and 2,000 educators to build a culture of kindness, caring and respect in their schools. Purple America’s mission is to unite America around twelve values, neither red nor blue, that form our common ground: Equality, Faith, Family, Freedom, Love and Respect, Self-Expression, Doing the Right Thing, Community, Giving Back, the Good Life, Opportunity and Success.

Project Love is a non-profit, 501c3 organization.

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CONTACT:

Paula DePasquale
Landau Public Relations
216.912.2857
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