K12 On Learning

We just celebrated the country’s birthday It is a good time to pause, and remember. Remembering why we can have opinions, why we can have choices, where our freedoms come from, and who sacrificed to give them to us is worthy of a pause and a discussion at home. We want good citizens to come from our homes. By educating ourselves and our children about the history behind the celebrations, we instill reverence in the next generation for the freedoms that are easily taken for granted. When we show and teach by example these freedoms will continue long after we are gone Kristen Batsel is one of only 50 leaders in the united states that serve as a director of an American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program. Leaders in each state, like Kristen, volunteer months and months each year with no pay or financial support, yet they gather volunteers from their respective American Legion Auxiliary units and provide for a select group of young citizens (usually several hundred per state) who have completed their junior year in high school, a deep dive into understanding how our government works, how laws come to be and distinctions in the three branches of government. Kristen offered a week-long immersion experience where students lived and learned about the love and the sacrifice that gave freedoms to us. The goal is to build strong citizens for the future, encourage involvement and support young people by offering scholarships to encourage further education. I invited Kristen to jump on with us today and share some of her passion and love of country. Welcome to K12 On Learning Kristen! Will you please tell us more about you?