Image Credit: Picryl / Public Domain
The Tennessee Conservative [By David Seal] –
If you enjoy living in a constitutional republic, you can appreciate what happened at the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787. Our federal constitution was signed, starting the process of creating the legal framework of our nation. A few months later it would be ratified by the states.
The 917 Society, located in Nashville, Tennessee, takes its name from that date and has a mission to educate the young people of our nation about the constitution, providing eighth graders with pocket constitutions and providing teachers, students, and parents with a vast array of free resources to accomplish that goal. They are organized as a 501 c (3) and depend on donations and fundraisers.
In its own words, “the 917 Society is a group of nonpartisan volunteers dedicated to preserving our Constitution and fostering a love for our country among our youth. We work with 8th-grade classes nationwide, providing classroom materials and personal copies of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to each student as they celebrate Constitution Day (917). Students are further engaged through essay contests on their love for America and other lasting activities. We hope these young children will carry their copy of the Constitution close and use it as a guidebook to good citizenship.”
Joni Bryan founded the 917 Society in 2016 following an inspirational conversation she had with constitutional attorney John J. Hooker. For the full story, visit the link provided here.
“One of many school systems that benefit from 917’s distribution of materials is Jefferson County Schools. The 917 Society is excited to partner with Jefferson County Schools to provide pocket Constitutions to the 8th grade students to honor and celebrate Constitution Day.” – said Bryan
The 523 8th graders of Jefferson County were part of the 917 Society national outreach of over 1.25 million 8th grade students across all 50 states for the 2024/2025 school year. Their distribution and outreach have expanded each year since their founding.
Bryan, the Founder and Director of the 917 Society, will be speaking to the Jefferson County Republican Party on October 4th at their Annual Dinner to share the 917 Society mission of constitution education and to express appreciation of their support for reaching Jefferson County youth over the past four years.
About the Author: David Seal is a retired Jefferson County educator, recognized artist, local businessman, 917 Society Volunteer, and current Chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party. He has also served Jefferson County as a County Commissioner and is a citizen lobbyist for the people on issues such as eminent domain, property rights, education, and broadband accessibility on the state level. David is also a 2024 winner of The Tennessee Conservative Flame Award. David can be reached at david@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
