We understand why it’s common for citizens to give government leaders grief – we do that ourselves from time to time – but we also recognize that public officials often do noble things that go unnoticed and deserve a pat on the back.

For example, last Tuesday, a number of our local officials shared a nice, quiet lunch with 36 area students participating in Youth Leadership Tallahassee’s Government and Education Day (which JMI had the privilege of sponsoring).  

There were no political speeches.  No television cameras.  No votes to gain in next year’s elections – the students aren’t yet old enough to vote – just a friendly conversation at a small table with three or four students eager to learn about the inner workings of government. 

For giving their lunch hour to these high school students, we’d like to recognize Gil Ziffer, Michelle Rehwinkel Vasalinda, Nina Ashenafi Richardson, John Marks, Terry Lewis, and Maggie Lewis-Butler.  We’d also like to recognize several public officials that spoke to the students during the day:  Charles Canady, John Dailey, Kristen Dozier, Marvin Henderson, John Marks, and Alan Williams. 

We appreciate these officials’ service to our community.

Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll, Rep. Marti Coley, Sec. Cindy O'Connell and Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson (left to right) participate in an annual JMI Women in Government panel for the delegates at Florida Girls State.

By Dana Edwards
Jennifer Carroll told more than 300 Girls State delegates that being Florida’s first African-American Lt. Governor was “never part of my personal plan – but, sometimes, you have to be open to higher plans.”<
Speaking on a panel organized by the James Madison Institute (JMI), Carroll retraced the steps that led to her election last November. She described her years serving in the Florida House, and how her early experience in the Navy helped prepare her to head the Florida agency in charge of veterans’ affairs. 

She also admitted that public speaking came easily to her – after she had practiced in front of a mirror! 

Carroll’s remarks highlighted the James Madison Institute’s annual “Women in Government” panel at Florida Girls’ State. This year’s forum took place at FSU’s Moore Auditorium and also featured Rep. Marti Coley of Blountstown, Florida Lottery Secretary Cindy O’Connell and Leon County Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson.         

Rep. Coley advised the young women to recognize that being a mother can aid one’s experience rather than stifle opportunities. 

And Rep. Coley admitted that she, too, had never imagined running for public office – until the unfortunate death of her newly-elected husband in 2005 propelled her to run for his House seat.

Secretary O’Connell noted that the diverse backgrounds of the JMI panelists – military, education, business, law – showed that there are many different routes to public service. She also shared her time-management techniques and how she weighs commitments in her personal and public lives.

Similarly, Judge Richardson encouraged the students to invest time in something besides their future careers, offering her participation on the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra Board as an example. She said the key to a successful career is choosing something you enjoy doing every day.

Each panelist advised the girls to take time for themselves each day, whether that is prayer, exercise or something else. Taking time for yourself, they said, helps you to be at your best for all the people in your life.

Dana Edwards is a sophomore majoring in journalism and history at the University of Florida and an intern at The James Madison Institute, a non-partisan think tank based in Tallahassee.

A recently released nationwide test of fourth-graders, sixth-graders, and twelfth-graders revealed that the majority of students do not have a basic knowledge of US history. Only 35% of fourth-graders knew the purpose of the Declaration of Independence, and the news does not get better; only 12% of twelfth-graders were considered proficient in US history. Many blame the poor performance on the shift in educational focus to subjects tested by No Child Left Behind, namely mathematics and reading. No one will argue that those are vital subjects, but it is imperative that other equally vital areas of education are not sacrificed.

Studying US history is not just the memorization of facts and dates–it is an integral part of developing well-informed citizens. The twelfth-grade students tested above will soon be able to vote, if they cannot already do so, and how can these students know the direction they want this country to move in if they do not understand where it has been?

Beyond ones civic duty, learning about history forces people to think critically. Not all answers are as black and white as in a math test, and proficiency in history allows a person to develop theories and defend them with facts. The ability to form a coherent and persuasive argument is an important skill regardless of a person’s line of work. Let us all hope these disappointing results are a catalyst for change–going forward, let the educators of America spend more time showing students their past.

By Dana Edwards, JMI Intern and Creator of the 2009 National History Fair Dolley Madison Documentary
Many young adults do not feel comfortable voting due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of political issues and how they affect them. In order to meet the responsibilities of citizenship, it is extremely important for Americans to be familiar with basic historical information regarding the development of our government and political system as well as current events. Dolley Madison has much to teach us in this regard despite the fact that as a woman, she was not allowed to vote or have a direct voice in American politics. 

Realizing the importance of preserving pieces of our infant nation’s fledgling history for future generations, Dolley courageously saved many documents and historical artifacts when evacuating the White House during the War of 1812, including the famed Gilbert Stuart painting of George Washington.  As a skilled diplomat and hostess, Mrs. Madison established many American customs and legacies now utilized in today’s politics, including learning to work through diverse issues in a bipartisan manner, and set the social standards for future First Ladies to follow.  

Dolley’s influence had an immense impact on the lives and policies of the politicians of her day and helped to create American History.  She knew all of America’s Founding Fathers: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and, of course, James Madison.  According to Holly Shulman, Dolley Madison historian from the University of Virginia, if Mrs. Madison had lived during our current time, she would have more power than current female politicians such as Hillary Clinton. 

Dolley Payne Todd Madison
May 20, 1768 – July 12, 1849

Conducted in “colloquy” style with much discussion and interaction, each session featured a unique panel of featured speakers. Free copies of The American Cause by Russell Kirk were distributed. Videos of each session are available for viewing on-line:

February 09, 2011:  Former Florida Attorney General and Former Congressman Bill McCollum

February 16, 2011:  Douglas Minson, Intercollegiate Studies Institute; Major Kenneth G. Harris, Florida Atlantic University ROTC; Dr. Sam Hawkins, Commander U.S. Navy (Ret.); Francisco Gonzalez, James Madison Institute

February 23, 2011:  Florida Congressman Allen West and Joyce Kaufman, radio host, WFTL 850 AM

First distributed to nearly 60,000 South Florida students in September 2010, JMI’s supplemental civics curriculum, Celebrate Freedom, came about through a partnership with the Sun-Sentinel’s Newspaper in Education program. These colorful 12-page booklets, which examine a key passage from the Declaration of Independence, use a variety of tools and “thought experiments” to help students gain a greater understanding of America’s founding principles.

What most Americans are taught about the Depression’s causes and cures is wrong.

Survey says: Most of the nation’s students (and grown-ups) are clueless about economics.

The former Supreme Court Justice’s remarks to the Florida Legislature.