NCLI house vote nears...

From:  Abby Ybarra, Grassroots Coordinator No Child Left Inside Coalition:   Action By NCLI Member Groups Needed as House Vote Nears   Please Alert Your Organization's Members and Urge them to Contact Congress in Support of NCLI   The No Child Left Inside Act of 2008 is expected to be voted on soon by the full House of Representatives.   As we prepare for the House vote, we want members of Congress to hear from their constituents about the importance of environmental education.   A sample letter follows this notice or you can send an email by clicking on the picture link at the top right of the Camp Bayou Nature Notes Blog (http://campbayou.blogspot.com/) and follow the quick and easy steps.   Thank you for your support!  For more information about the NCLI Act, visit www.NLCLICoalition.org.     Sample Letter to Urge Support   Targets: All House Members who will vote on the NCLI Act.   E-mail Subject Line: Support the No Child Left Inside Act (HR 3036)   Dear Representative xx:   I am writing to urge you to support the No Child Left Inside Act of 2008 (H.R. 3036) when it comes before the House of Representatives next week. This legislation addresses critical environmental challenges by strengthening and expanding environmental education in America's classrooms.   Environmental education is critical now because of the complex environmental challenges confronting the nation and world, which require an informed citizenry and engaged, knowledgeable individuals.   Environmental education also provides strong benefits in the classroom. It has been shown to excite students by engaging them in their world and getting them outside to learn and explore. Environmental education also promotes higher-order thinking skills and is correlated with higher test scores in math and reading.   Today, environmental education is hampered by a lack of adequate funding, both at the state and federal levels. The No Child Left Inside Act will create vital new funding to train teachers, expand programs, and help states create environmental literacy plans to ensure that students are environmentally literate. It is strongly backed by the No Child Left Inside Coalition, which has more than 500 member organizations from across the country, all of whom believe it is critical to improve environmental education.   Please support environmental education for all students by voting for H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside Act.   Signed, Your name and contact info