Letters to Lawmakers is a simple but impactful project that you can use to help your children bring joy to those who serve us at the Iowa State Capitol.
Use this guide and follow the listed steps below to assist your child in writing letters of encouragement to your elected state officials.
Project Guide
Writing letters is a great way to introduce your family as a part of the homeschooling community. It also provides elected officials with a positive illustration of home instruction.
Homeschool Iowa lobbyist, Jeremy Vos, encourages you and your family to participate in this impactful project in this brief video.
Our Iowa lawmakers are working hard to serve those they have been elected to represent. We, at Homeschool Iowa, would love to have a flood of encouragement arrive at the Capitol from homeschooled students all over the state.
Your child can be a part of this Letters to Lawmakers effort. Just follow these simple steps:
Help Your Child Identify Elected Officials to Write
Have your child use our VoterVoice “Find Officials” tool or the Iowa Legislature’s site to discover the lawmakers serving your family. These can include:
• Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds
• Your Iowa Senator
• Your Iowa Representative
Your child can write a letter to one or all of these elected officials.
Teach Your Child How to Format and Address the Letter
A simple letter template is included in our Letters to Lawmakers guide.
The guide also includes information on the formal titles to use in letter greetings and on letter envelopes.
Assist Your Child in Choosing What to Write
Check our Letters to Lawmakers guide for some helpful content ideas. Make sure letters highlight that your child is homeschooled.
You can help younger children by having them dictate their letter to you to write out for them to copy. Even little ones can bring encouragement with just a few lines.
Encourage Your Child to Add a Personal Touch
Handwritten letters are more personal than typed letters. Urge your children to use their best handwriting.
Including a picture is a great way to share a message of kindness and give letters a personal touch.
Are You Planning to Attend Capitol Day?
It’s an incredible homeschool family field trip and so much more. Check out our Capitol Day event page.
If your family plans to attend this event, your children can use their letters to let lawmakers know you plan to be there. Make sure to get your letters in the mail at least two weeks early so they arrive in time.
It is great to know that by participating in this simple project your family will be an encouragement to your elected officials and a bright spot in their work day.
You are the light of the world,
like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.
Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand,
where it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see,
so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
~ Matthew 5:14-16 NLT ~
At Homeschool Iowa, we are grateful for the many homeschooling families who have committed to serving their communities as public servants at all levels of government. Will you commit with us to praying for them on a regular basis in your personal devotional time this school year?
And will you join other homeschooling families all across our state participating in this Letters to Lawmakers project? Let us know in the comments section below or send us an email if your children wrote and sent letters. We’d love to hear from you!
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