NRA Certified Pistol Instructor/Range Safety Officer—and NRA Woman—Candace Syres of Philadephia, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a privately funded scholarship to attend the Ambassador Academy, which will take place Feb. 13-17, 2021 at the renowned West Orlando Firearms Training facility. The exclusive Ambassador Academy was created to address the need for well-trained firearm community ambassadors—whether through professional affiliation or casual social media posting.
Syres, whose essay was chosen from 74 entries, said, “I am thrilled to have been selected to receive the 2021 Ambassador Academy Scholarship! Thank you to NRA Women's Leadership Forum’s Executive Committee member Barbara Rumpel for her generous donation and support."
As a past attendee, Rumpel says she knows "the skills learned at the Ambassador Academy will carry women far in the Second Amendment Community.”
Syres said this unique opportunity will provide her with skills that will further enhance her voice and Second Amendment advocacy within and outside of her community. “I look forward to engaging, influencing and educating our country around issues related to protecting the Second Amendment and our right to defend ourselves,” she said.
Dianna Muller, Team Benelli Captain, D.C. Project founder and Ambassador Academy founder said, "It’s of utmost importance that our community create effective communicators of our message in order to influence our friends, our family and our communities. I’m proud to see NRA Women leading the charge by sponsoring a woman to attend the Ambassador Academy!"
Here’s what Syres can look forward to in this five-day course taught by at least 10 subject-matter experts in the following areas: Social media strategy and analytics; film/editing; on-camera personality coaching; and friendly and hostile communications with a focus on the 2nd Amendment. Professional photographers will provide headshots, product shots and action shots. Students will also expand their defensive firearms knowledge by participating in a personal protection course that is the specialty of the host facility.
Syres says she was raised in a “pro freedom, pro Second Amendment family who are/were NRA Life members.” Syres' grandfather, Lacey Poteat Sr., founded South Philadelphia’s first Rod and Gun Club in the 1960s.
We look forward to reporting on Syres’ experience at the Academy.
For more on how you can attend this event, go to the Ambassador Academy website.
