A Message From The Chair:
First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to Harrison County Judge Chad Sims and the Harrison County Commissioners Court for this remarkable opportunity to serve Harrison County, Texas, in this capacity. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to Vice Chair Kevin Green, Secretary Stacia Runnels, Treasurer Ron McGregor, and Carol Greer for their tremendous efforts in organizing our team as we gear up to fulfill our mission. I appreciate your support in allowing me to take an extended working vacation abroad while staying engaged with our America250 initiatives. Thank you all for your outstanding leadership!
Secondly, I would like to bring to your attention the upcoming meeting of the Harrison County Texas America 250 Commission, scheduled for 2 PM on January 16, 2025. If you haven't already heard about it, please see the details.
Thirdly, I aim to ensure that everyone comprehends the significance of Two Lights For Tomorrow and the profound impact it can have on the communities throughout Harrison County.
In essence, Two Lights For Tomorrow serves as a nationwide call to action, which we have selected to launch the America250 commemoration and celebration events. These events will unfold across Harrison County over the next year and a half.
As I set my personal goal to spend this winter on a beach, I also committed to collaborating with my fellow commissioners. Together, we aim to utilize some of my relaxation time to explore straightforward and effective strategies for engaging the citizens of Harrison County with the initiatives of the America250 and Texas America250 organizations.
While vacationing in the popular tourist areas and beaches of Costa Rica, I found myself surrounded by many fellow Americans enjoying their tropical getaways for a week or two. This unexpected situation led me to meet Jen H. and her son Luke, who were visiting family for two weeks during the Christmas and New Year holidays. I would like to extend my gratitude to Jen for graciously allowing me to give her son Luke an assignment during our encounter.
It turns out that Jen is not only a dedicated 3rd grade teacher at Bear Creek Elementary in Bend, OR, but her students often greet her with the phrase, "Hi, Luke's mom." Luke, on the other hand, is a bright 9-year-old 4th grade student at the same school.
In my quest to engage as many citizens of Harrison County as possible, particularly students, I uncovered several effective strategies to involve everyone by integrating and overlapping various America250 programs and initiatives. To validate my ideas and concepts, I realized I needed a practical method to assess their potential effectiveness. I distinctly recall asking Jen if I could use her son as a test subject for my little experiment, which aimed to measure the outcomes of my proposed initiatives.
Luke's mother allowed me to introduce him to America250 and explain the mission of Two Lights For Tomorrow. My goal was to spend no more than one hour presenting and discussing these topics with him. Following our discussion, I planned to assign him a Two Lights For Tomorrow project, which he would have up to 24 hours to complete. The primary learning objective was for Luke to connect the historical event from 250 years ago with our nation's evolution over the past two and a half centuries, and to reflect on what it means to be an American as we look forward to the next 250 years.
During a recent meeting with Luke at a picnic table, I spent an engaging 45 minutes on a presentation, discussion, and assignment. I utilized my computer to explore four web pages, discussing the significance of each one with him. The web pages we covered were as follows:
I informed Luke that he was free to utilize any resources at his disposal, but his assignment was straightforward: he should take some time to comprehend Two Lights For Tomorrow. Within 24 hours, I expected him to articulate his thoughts on how he could contribute to shaping the great American future over the next 250 years. Additionally, I mentioned that he could present his assignment either as an essay or through a creative medium, such as a drawing.
His mother shared that he frequently turned to her as a resource for answering his questions. She noted that he had not previously encountered the perspectives on Patriotism, Civics, or History that I introduced to him. However, he quickly grasped these concepts, including the significance of Paul Revere's midnight ride as a unifying event in the lead-up to the formation of our country. Luke successfully met his 24-hour deadline by choosing to express his understanding through an artistic medium.
The evening before Jen and Luke departed for Oregon, they reflected on their newfound understanding of America250 and their commitment to participate in Two Lights For Tomorrow. They discussed how Luke and other students at Bear Creek Elementary can engage with the opportunities that America250 offers for the next 250 years. Luke expressed his intention to submit an entry for America's Field Trip Contest before the April 16, 2025 deadline, as well as a commitment to be as part of his National Day of Service for Two Lights For Tomorrow either through America Gives or something in his local community.
Assignment Harrison County: Two Lights For Tomorrow
Two Lights for Tomorrow fosters unity within our communities while ensuring continuity with the America250 initiatives. This initiative presents a remarkable opportunity for individuals across Harrison County, throughout Texas, and across the nation to actively engage and participate in the America250 celebrations.
Our organization presents two exciting challenges for all public, private, and homeschool students in grades 3-12 in Harrison County, Texas:
Join the America250 initiative by submitting an entry for America's Field Trip Contest.
Engage in Two Lights For Tomorrow by honoring the significance of April 18, 2025, and the National Day of Service on April 19, 2025.
We offer support to schools, teachers, parents, churches, nonprofits, and community organizations that are dedicated to fulfilling these challenges. The best way to contribute is to Get Involved and leverage your knowledge, skills, and passion to help shape a better future for America 250 years from now.
The time to act is now!
Steven McFarland
Chair, Harrison County Texas America 250
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