Public School Teacher Nichole Ritchie Named Llano County Chair for the Alamo Letter Society

The family of Nichole Ritchie been in Texas since 1818. The dedication of the Col Travis "Victory or Death" letter Plaque will be epic for Llano County.

ROCKWALL, TEXAS, USA, July 26, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Alamo Letter Society Appoints Ms. Nichole Ritchie as Llano County Chair

The Alamo Letter Society is honored to announce the appointment of Nichole Ritchie of Cottonwood Shores, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Social Studies teacher at Llano Junior High, as the Llano County Chair of the Alamo Letter Society.

Llano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau. The population of the county is approximately 23,000. The county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River.

Mrs. Richie is originally from the Chicagoland area. She moved to Texas after meeting her husband during her time at Northern Illinois University. Her husband, Michael Ritchie, is an 11th generation Texan with his family coming to Texas in 1818.

Lee William “Bill” McNutt, Co-Founder of the Alamo Letter Society, is “excited to have a teacher be our County Chair. It helps us fulfill our mission of teaching the next generation about Texans armed struggle for Freedom and Liberty in the 19th century.”

The Alamo Letter Society originated from a 13-year-old Texas student, Sloane McNutt, during a family trip to the Alamo in January 2023. While looking at William Barrett Travis’ historic “Victory or Death” letter on a bronze plaque in front of the Alamo chapel, Sloane asked her father, Bill McNutt, “Why do people have to go all the way to the Alamo to see the letter? This plaque with the letter should be all over Texas!” With this question in mind, the idea for the Alamo Letter Society was born.

“Having worked with students in this area, I’ve learned that many, if not most of them, have never been to
see the Alamo,” said Ms. Ritchie. “If they haven’t had the opportunity to see it, I think it is only fitting that we bring a piece of it to them!”

McNutt recruited his fellow Vanderbilt University graduate, Rosser Newton, Sr., and US Army SGM (Ret) John Vick to aid in the creation of this organization. The Alamo Letter Society launched on Veterans Day in 2023 with the following mission statement: To educate current and future Texans about their forefathers' armed struggle for Freedom and Liberty through the placement of a large bronze plaque containing Col. William Barrett Travis's Alamo "Victory or Death" letter, in all 254 Texas Courthouses.

“The spirit of the Alamo Letter has been carried by the generations of Texas fighting men to every
Battlefield. The Texas soldier always finds a way forward,” said John Vick, Co-Founder & Chairman of the 501(c)(3).

The Alamo letter, written by William Barrett Travis on February 24, 1836, was only 220 words long and is still regarded by many as an emblem of freedom. The Alamo Letter Society is dedicated to the two leading Tejanos of the Texas Revolution, Jose Antonio Navarro and Juan Seguín.

“Travis’ Alamo letter shows us today the essential qualities of being Texan: duty, honor, and self-sacrifice,” said Rosser Newton, Co-Founder.

This is Ms. Ritchie’s eighth year of teaching and was recently named the 2024 Commended Texas History Teacher. Not only does she serve her community through teaching, but also through the number of organizations she is a part of. She is active in many groups, including Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Former Texas Rangers Association, and the Burnet County Historical Commission.

“The partnerships with these various organizations have been great because I have been able to incorporate them into my school lessons and given my students many fun opportunities inside and outside of the classroom,” said Ms. Ritchie.

The date for the Llano County Alamo Letter Plaque dedication has not been set. County Chair Ms. Richie said “We look forward to working with the four County Commissioners, Peter Jones, Linda Raschke, Mike Sandoval, Jerry Don Moss and County Judge Ron Cunningham to create something special and long lasting for the citizens of our county.”

Ms. Ritchie believes that the Alamo Letter Society’s mission “showcases the ‘Texas Spirit’ that binds us all as Texans and literally brings it home by being on display in hometowns across the state.”

ALAMO LETTER SOCIETY
The Alamo Letter Society exists to educate school children, new Texans, and future generations of their forefathers' fight for Liberty, and Freedom, through the placement of a large, bronze plaque containing the Alamo letter at each of the 254 courthouses in the Lone Star State. For more information, visit www.alamoletter.com

Bill McNutt
Alamo Letter Society
+1 214 537 9311
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