East Milton student part of Literacy Week kickoff at Capitol
For a while Monday morning there will be some horse sense outside of the Florida capitol buildings in Tallahassee.
Tuffy, the All-American Hero quarter horse, will play a part in the kickoff of Literacy Week in the State of Florida on Monday.
Florida Agriculture Commission Charles Bronson will be reading to a group of students from Gadsden County while Tuffy looks on as part of Just Read, Florida.
“This is a huge honor for us,” said Kyle Holley, who is the owner of Tuffy, a registered second grader at East Milton Elementary School. “This is our way to give during a difficult time across the entire state.
“That is some thing we stress with Tuffy and the students and children he meets; a message of giving back during a difficult time and earning what you get.”
While Tuffy will be in Tallahassee on Monday, his stay will be very short as he is headed to the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine.
This is the largest school of it kind in the nation and also is the school where individuals like the late Ray Charles was educated.
“All the credit for this week goes to the staff and faculty at the school for the blind,” Holley said. “We were looking to go there on Jan. 12, and then they came back and asked us to be a part of literacy week.”
Holley, who arranged for his book about Tuffy to cover many age levels and reading abilities, tried to see what needed to be done for the school in St. Augustine.
“They told me to bring the book and Tuffy,” Holley laughed. “They want to make this a total learning experience for them.
“They have people who will work with the students so they can understand the book, but they also want the students to interact with Tuffy.”
While Tuffy is in Tallahassee and St. Augustine people like State Representative Greg Evers will kick of Literacy Week at East Milton Elementary by reading the book over ITV to the student body.
“Thank to groups like the Milton Rotary and the Santa Rosa County Fair Association a book will be given to every student at East Milton and a book will be given to every student kindergarten through second grade and Benny Russell Elementary,” Holley said. “We will be at Russell Elementary on Thursday with members of the Milton Rotary Club reading to the students.”
While Tuffy is helping to promote Literacy Week in Florida he is also helping the education system in Santa Rosa County.
Tuffy works closely with the Santa Rosa Education Foundation and the dollars he raises for education goes back to help the foundation match grant dollars from the state.
“When the state is fully funded there could be as much as $80,000 for teacher grants through the foundation in Santa Rosa County,” said Holley, who is also on the Santa Rosa Education Foundation Board. “But asking for money is one thing, but to earn it is a great lesson and example.
“And that is one thing Tuffy is all about. Attaching character lessons to education. He is a tool to help kids retain ideas like being compassionate, strong hearted, and self sacrificing.”
Holley remembers one time taking Tuffy to a school in Navarre where the teacher started crying.
“There was a child who could talk but would not vocalize to the teachers,” Holley recalled. “Then while Tuffy and I were there the teachers were crying and wiping away tears and I thought I might have done something wrong and needed to apologize.
“But they were so happy the child found something to make them vocalize their feelings.”
Tuffy has traveled all across Northwest Florida, Texas, and even to Tennessee and his message could possibly go as far south as Costa Rica.
“We are looking at working with Rotary International and their mission in Costa Rica,” Holley said. “They are looking at including Tuffy’s book in the book bags they send down to help the students not only learn English but broaden the reach of his message.”
