June 2020 

By: Emilie Harris

The officers and directors of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge play a key role in serving the community and carrying out our mission to educate, honor, and challenge those around us. With the closing of an academic year comes a new beginning, as well as new members to add to the strength of an already dedicated staff. 

The Freedoms Foundation’s growth and success over the years is only possible because of the time donated by its board members. Emily Matthews, the President Elect of our Sacramento chapter this year, regards working with our board as an essential part in furthering Freedoms Foundation’s mission. “It is an impressive group of people who give so much time and effort to promote the values of our country,” Matthews said. “Having learned so much from my involvement so far, I look forward to continuing to learn, to grow our local chapter and to encourage others to get involved and join us!”

                
 

In addition, Craig Anderson, Phillip Escamilla, Sean Jensen, and Carrie Motley will join our chapter’s board of directors. Part of the job will be working directly with the Student Council themselves, community outreach, and being involved with the student programs. “Teenagers are some of my favorite people with their energy and passion for the world around them,” Motley said. “I love to see them inspired.” 

Craig Anderson is also excited to work with the board and students. “I was very honored to be asked to serve on the board of directors. To be a part of an organization that works toward educating our youth in the responsibilities of American citizenship and actively works toward developing leadership among students is very important.”

There is no better way to reach out to the youth than through our new student directors. This year, Mayar Amin, Claire Francois, Sree Sowmya Gudapati, Isabelle Hanson, Joy Malak, Ian Matthews, Jonathan Munguia, and David Zeibert will be in charge of expanding community outreach, overseeing student council, and creating Freedoms Foundation service clubs at their local high schools.

“I saw that in becoming a student director I could help spread the message of unity and remind Americans of our unique roots and duties we have to become better citizens,” Malak said. “I wanted to both give back to the Foundation and our community, and to foster communication and unity especially during a time of civil unrest.”

And finally, what makes our Freedoms Foundation bimonthly newsletter possible is our amazing editor Megan Johnston and assistant editors Joy Malak and David Zeibert, along with Larry Brasher, Gary McFadyen, and our wonderful writers. It’s our job to bring the news of our community here to you!

Valuable team members such as our officers and directors are necessary in strengthening the Foundation here in our Sacramento chapter, and it is exactly what made the creation of America possible. Our founding fathers gave everything they had in giving America a future, and in return, it is the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge’s duty in keeping America’s heritage alive.

By: Sidney FIfe

This year, Freedoms foundation will be partnering with William Jessup University to sponsor a Mock Article V Convention of the States. This event will take place on September 17, Constitution Day, on the William Jessup University Campus. We are very excited about this event as we have never done anything quite like it. We hope that you are also excited and that you will consider joining us to commemorate Constitution Day this year.

High school students in the Sacramento area will form teams of 5-10 from their schools plus a faculty advisor to help them prepare. They will write a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution, which they will be prepared to present and debate on the day of the event. Each proposed amendment will also be voted on and judged to win prize money for their school. These teams should be formed as soon as possible and we would love to see as many schools there as can make it. With that said please consider participating in this event, it will be a great, enjoyable experience.

The Article V Convention of the States comes from Article V of the United States Constitution. It is one of two ways that we are able to amend the document. Article V reads. “The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments…” This is the same process that we will be replicating at this event. Currently, our successful amendments to the Constitution have passed both houses of Congress with a two-thirds vote, however, the Article V Convention has never been used to amend the Constitution, and there has not been a Constitutional Convention since the original in 1787.

The Constitutional Convention was a key event in our history that helped shape our great nation to what it is today. We are delighted to be able to sponsor an event that will help us celebrate Constitution Day and remember such a historic event.

By: Emilie Harris

Dedication and commitment are highly valued and seen in our hardworking board members. Among these people is Emily Matthews, the President-Elect for the upcoming 2020-21 year in our Sacramento chapter. Stepping up to first in command is not an easy task; however, with the help of the officers and directors, Matthews feels that she can continue the Foundation’s mission with all the support she has.

“I anticipate the position of President-Elect being one of continuing to work with the board members much as I have for the past couple of years to sponsor students and events,” Matthews said. “But add to that a lot of learning from our current president, Larry Brasher.”

In 2017, Brasher accepted the position as President of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge for the Sacramento chapter. And in one year, the honor will be passed on to Matthews.

“I also look forward to making connections with community and school leaders, and being more involved in introducing our organization to others and encouraging them to become more involved.”

Emily Received a bachelor’s degree in history from Brigham Young University. She loves to volunteer in her community, has a passion for music, and most especially, loves being a mother to her five wonderful children. She has served in a variety of positions, including president at a PTC organization, and has even started an elementary school choir.

Matthews’ passion for Freedoms Foundation was born just two years ago when she and her husband served as chaperones on the Spirit of America program at Valley Forge, which their daughter attended.

“I came home so impressed with the classes and workshops in which the students participated, the focus on community service and getting involved and informed, and the honor given to those who formed this nation and those continuing the legacy of making this nation great just by doing good,” Matthews said.

While the road ahead won’t be easy to travel, the experience, the people, and the mission definitely make it all worth it.

“I have always had a strong love for this country and our history,” Matthews said. “The opportunity to be involved in Freedoms Foundation just falls right inline with that.”

By: Sidney Fife

At the beginning of March, we had two groups of students from the Sacramento area attend the Spirit of America conference at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The third group was scheduled for April but had to be canceled due to Covid-19. Fortunately, it has been officially rescheduled for the weekend of October 8th-11th. The students will take a red-eye flight the night of the 7th and tour historic Philadelphia in the morning before heading to Valley Forge for the convention. We are so glad that despite the complications and the delays that were out of our control, the third group of students will still experience the amazement that is Valley Forge.

We would also like to thank everyone who helped make this trip happen. This includes all those who donated money to sponsor the trip for these students, as well as everyone at Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge who arranged the flights and rescheduled their plans to work around these unexpected circumstances. We’d also like to congratulate the students once again for their hard work on their essays and we are delighted that they are getting the trip they so deserve.

Emily Matthews has been a driving force in making this trip happen for these students. We are so grateful to her for all the time and hard work she has put into all the Spirit of America trips. We would like to pass on this message from her to the students on the upcoming trip:

“Take some time on an afternoon this summer and read up on the history of Valley Forge so you can gain a greater appreciation of the events that transpired where you will be walking.  Take time to learn about Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin, and Independence Hall.  Sometimes unanticipated delays can be the means to creating even better experiences, and we hope that is true with you!  Use the time you’ve been given to come to the Spirit of America conference a little more prepared to have an amazing experience!”

We are  so thrilled that these students will still get this wonderful experience at Valley Forge. We hope they are all excited, as this will be a weekend they will never forget.

Due to COVID-19 the Golf Tournament has been

postponed to Oct. 23. It will be hosted by Timer Creek Golf Club. We look forward to this great event.    

Register or Sponsor Online

Email Reed.Matthews@claconnect.com for more information.

     Freedoms Foundation is proud to announce our new editorial staff as students step up to carry on our legacy to Educate, Honor, and Challenge. Our two new newsletter assistant editors are Joy Malak and David Zeibert and our new writers are Sidney Fife, Sowmya Gudapati, and Emilie Harris.

Joy Malak is an avid debater, reader, and writer. She has two younger siblings and is a Silver Key recipient in Flash Fiction from the Scholastic Art and Writing awards and a state qualifier in Public Forum debate. On sunny summer days, she can be found walking trails with friends and on dark winter nights she can be found curled up in an armchair, reading.

David Zeibert is a senior at Rocklin High School. He is an editor for Polyphony Lit Magazine and led his school to victory at the first annual Constitution Bowl. He has been a Boy Scout for the past 6 years and loves being able to give back to his community. He enjoys being able to spend time with friends and family in the great outdoors.

Sidney Fife is home schooled with Inspire Charter Academy. She loves to play the violin and is a member of the Placer County Youth Orchestra as well as a non-profit theater group called Take Note Troupe. She loves to write and believes that the best writers can always find a way to convey their thoughts with the right words.

Sowmya Gudapati is a senior at Rocklin High School, she loves to read, paint, and write and is very passionate about helping her community through volunteering. She enjoys spending time outdoors, annoying her little brother, and going on adventures.

Emilie Harris is a senior at John Adams Academy and the historian of their National Honors Society chapter. She loves to read, write, calligraphy, paint, and binge-watch her favorite Netflix shows. Her passion for writing stems from her belief that writing has the ability to bring out any emotion.