Stop the Presses! Freedom – thanks to Bill of Rights – celebrated in Dallas for Constitution Day

Sept. 7, 2011 - PRLog -- DALLAS – El Centro College celebrates the 224th birthday of the U.S. Constitution on Thursday, September 15, featuring WFAA-TV Channel 8 News Anchor Gloria Campos:

        WHO:         El Centro College
        WHAT:      Constitution Day Celebration
        WHEN:      Thursday, September 15, 2011, 12:00 p.m.
        WHERE:    Performance Hall, El Centro College, 801 Main St., Dallas, TX
        WHY:         Freedom of the Press
        COST:       Free

        This is El Centro’s 6th annual Constitution Day Celebration, and this year’s theme is "Freedom of the Press," a topic that Campos is well versed considering her nearly three and half decades of television news experience.  Campos (http://www.wfaa.com/on-tv/bios/67647832.html) joined ABC-affiliate WFAA in 1986 and eventually became the station’s first Hispanic anchor. Beyond her duties in the newsroom, Campos – who is also a lifetime member of the Texas PTA – has dedicated much of her free time to supporting education, particularly to young Latinos interested pursuing a career in journalism.

        “I let them know they can dream the grandest version of themselves and make it happen,” Campos said in a recent TVWeek NewsPro interview.  “I never dreamed I would talk to the president and first lady and cover inaugurations. I want to let them to know to dream big.”

        Other Constitution Day activities at El Centro include “Constitutional Jeopardy,” an all-week student-led voter registration drive, a 400-word essay contest about "Freedom of the Press," a fashion-forward "Red, White and Blue Jeans Day," and a complimentary lunch following Campos' address, featuring All-American barbecue sliders, hot dogs, chips and other food items graciously donated by Gilley's Dallas and 7-Eleven.

        “We want everyone in downtown Dallas to come by and participate in celebrating the U.S. Constitution,” said Gay Michele, government coordinator and co-chair of El Centro’s Constitution Day Committee.  “Our constitution is a remarkable document certainly worthy of celebration.  As Robert Byrd, Father of Constitution Day, once said, ‘Our ideals of freedom, set forth and realized in our Constitution, are our greatest export to the world.’”  

        Freedom of the press in the United States is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits the government from interfering with the printing and distribution of information or opinions.  The entire First Amendment reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."  

        Constitution Day, which is also known as Citizenship Day, is traditionally observed on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention was signed in 1787, although this year the 17th happens to fall on a Saturday.  All schools and other agencies that receive federal funding are required to conduct educational programs on and about Constitution Day.  Over the years, educators have used a wide variety of media to explain the significance and uniqueness of the Constitution, such as the animated musical series Schoolhouse Rock! that ran on ABC affiliates, including Campos' own Channel 8, periodically since the 1970s ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLP_HGKq-jg).



        7-Eleven, Inc. (http://www.7-eleven.com/) is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry. Based in Dallas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 8,800 7-Eleven stores in North America and globally there are close to 42,500 7-Eleven stores in 16 countries.

        Home to the Urban Cowboy legacy, Gilley's Dallas (http://gilleysdallas.com/) is a world-class entertainment venue with over 90,000 square feet of event space, featuring the new Jack Daniel’s Saloon restaurant.

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Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, Texas, and now celebrating 45 years of educational excellence, El Centro College (http://www.elcentrocollege.edu/) is a vibrant, urban community college that is fully committed to a seamless educational process and life-long learning. El Centro was the first of seven colleges now comprising the Dallas County Community College District, the largest undergraduate institution in the state that has served over 1.5 million people since El Centro first began teaching students in 1965.

El Centro's Fashion Marketing program (http://www.elcentrocollege.edu/fashionmarketing/) is a nationally renowned vocational education curriculum that specializes in the business side of fashion – combining modern business principles with ambition, creativity, and enthusiasm.