How did it happen?
The short version of how a group of parents and other concerned citizens brought attention to school calendar issues.

In 2002-03, certain NC tourism groups failed in their attempts to pass a bill prohibiting schools from starting prior to Labor Day. In the fall of 2003, a handful of parents started their own grassroots movement, Save Our Summers - North Carolina (SOS-NC), hoping to bring back the option of sending children to a school with a more traditional calendar. After years of having their pleas for help ignored by local school boards, SOS-NC supporters felt they had no choice but to take the matter to the General Assembly.

Some five months later, in February 2004, SOS-NC held a legislative press conference announcing its initiative and producing petition-signatures from over 3,000 concerned citizens across the state. Legislators began to pay attention.

By July, what was commonly known as the"School Calendar Bill" had become law. There is much more to the story, but suffice it to say that something very unique happened that year. In the end, citizens from all walks of life united under a common goal to "do the impossible." They kept legislators busy reading thousands of letters filled with personal concerns and well-researched facts. Against all odds, they volunteered time and money to keep a bill alive in the face of harsh opposition by state education leaders and lobbyists. Towards the end, SOS-NC volunteers couldn't even keep up with the volume of names pouring in. We do know that the voices of over 20,000 supporters were heard by legislators. Each voice made a difference.