[NLA] Re: National Literacy Day -- Challenge

[Jon Randall]

Eileen,

What you did -- inviting Sen. Dodd to participate in your course conference --  is exactly what is needed. I like Jay's LBJ quote, "Make friends before you need them."

Sending a letter is a very good first step. You need to follow up with a phone call. Find out who is the Senator's education staffer and call to follow up on your invitation. I have a motto: "All things are possible with persistence and flexibility." Stay on it 'till you reach them. Then be flexible enough to modify your original invitation to accomodate the Senator's schedule.

Know that politicians like photo opp's. His visit might make a good human interest piece in a small local weekly paper. These small papers are always looking for good stories. If you get the Senator to visit and you get an article in the paper, that's a "two-fer."

Others have said it and I can't echo enough the advice that talking to students is the key to making a lasting impression and cultivating a new champion. I think David and others from MA can attest that the pivitol actions that made Senator Kennedy a champion were talks with adult learners during visits to local programs.

You're on the right track Eileen! Be persistent and flexible.

Best,
Jon

Jon Randall 
Public Policy Committee Chair
National Coalition for Literacy
www.natcoalitionliteracy.org

FedStrategics, LLC
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8413 Park Crest Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910
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jrandall at FedStrategics.com


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