MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF SARASOTA
AMERICAN FLAG PROTOCOL INITIATIVE
The American Flag Protocol Initiative is a multi-faceted educational program developed by the Military Officers Association of Sarasota in collaboration with the Sarasota County School Board. It is intended to teach Sarasota schoolchildren, the general public and the greater Sarasota/Manatee business community the origin, history, and meaning of the American Flag; the importance of patriotism and proper respect for the flag; and the protocols for the Flag’s display.
As it is currently designed, the centerpiece of the American Flag Protocol Initiative is its academic curriculum, which consists of ten (10) 50-minute lessons, nine of which are to be presented to 4th grade students throughout Sarasota County by their assigned teachers at some point during the academic year. Lesson 10, is designed to be presented by a visiting instructional team consisting of a volunteer member of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), JROTC Cadets from either the Sarasota Military Academy, Sarasota, Booker, Riverview, and North Port High Schools or Venice Middle School and Senior Level Scouts from the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida. The lesson itself includes a brief review and “knowledge check” of the material contained in the first nine lessons, a “Flag Folding” exercise that allows students to do some “hands-on” training, and a Graduation Ceremony in which Certificates of Completion are awarded to all participating students by the MOAA representative.
On May 14th and 16th 2014, over 400 elementary students from Pine View, Garden, Laurel Nokomis and Lamarque Elementary Schools in South Sarasota County participated in Lesson 10 instruction presented by JROTC Cadets from North Port High School and members of the Venice Middle School Young Marines Program. Certificates of Completion were awarded all students from members of those Military Officers Association of America chapters located in Venice and Sarasota.
For more information about the American Flag Protocol Initiative, go to: www.sarasotamoaa.com.
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