Friday, January 25, 2008 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Polk County Convention Complex
IMMAWII Black History Game Show competition for students, Cultural Educational Workshops “Eyes on the Prize America’s Civil Rights Years,” Blackside Productions / Iowa Public Television “The Meeting” Performed by the Darwin Turner Action, Theatre, Colleges, Fair, Prizes, Awards and Free Admission.
TO: Iowa Secondary School Educators, Counselors, Diversity Coordinators and Administrators; and Youth organizations
FROM: Betty C. Andrews, Executive Director, I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa
CONTACT: 515-288-7171, bettycandrews@yahoo.com, worldiniowa.org
RE: Invitation to I 'll Make Me a World in Iowa Education Day on Friday, January 25, 2008
For six years I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa has offered its Education Day programming to middle and high school students with the important goal of promoting education, awareness and preservation around African-American history. We are proud to invite you and your students to join us once again for a day filled with educational opportunities and fun. This year’s programming will be even more exciting with new activities, a new location and impact-filled learning and cultural experiences.
I’ll Make Me A World in Iowa (IMMAWII) is a diverse collaboration of Iowans which highlights African-American arts, culture and contributions through education, awareness and preservation during this annual program and with continual educational outreach.
Polk County Convention Complex
Because of our remarkable growth IMMAWII Education Day moved to the Polk County Convention Complex located at 501 Grand Avenue in Des Moines, IA. This move offers many features facilitate an improved Education Day including staging for performances; more enclosed rooms for workshops and student management, and more room for the awesome interactive activities.
Who should attend?
Education Day is a golden opportunity to enrich social studies, world history, world cultures or government classes. IMMAWII Education Day is a wonderful opening activity or culminating project for an extracurricular activity such as debate team, social studies club or an Afro-centric club. Regardless of your focus, you’ll want to take advantage of this opportunity to broaden your students’ cultural awareness and appreciation.
IMMAWII Education Day includes a daylong series of workshops and learning activities for students. Secondary schools and youth organizations across the state of Iowa participate in the Education Day activities on Friday, January 25, 2008, starting at 9:00 a.m. and ending at 2:00 p.m. Educators are encouraged to bring their students to be a part of this historic learning experience. Education Day is for ALL students regardless of heritage, grade point average, or special needs.
IMMAWII Black History Game Show
Our most popular project for Education Day is the IMMAWII Black History Game Show. This quiz show features teams from across the state of Iowa. It’s a unique opportunity for students in grades 6 through 12 to compete for awards based on their knowledge of African-American history and for their schoolmates to root for them in a positive academic experience. Because we are anticipating a large number of participants there may be a limit of one team per school or organization (at IMMAWII’s discretion). Teams must have six participating members and may have up to four alternate members. The 2008 IMMAWII Black History Game Show theme is “Eyes on the Prize, America’s Civil Rights Years” based on the curriculum of the award winning documentary produced by Blackside Productions.
Theater at IMMAWII
A centerpiece of the 2008 Education Day is a theatrical performance of the play “The Meeting” performed by the Darwin Turner Action Theatre This play depicts the supposed meeting between Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., two of the most important men of the Civil Rights Movement and of modern times. Differing in their philosophies but alike in their mutual respect, the two men debate their varying approaches to the same grave social problems, both prepared to die for their beliefs but neither aware of how soon their assassins' bullets would await them.
Workshops & Activities
Education Day will also bring numerous opportunities to engage around African American History through relevant displays and workshops like the American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa’s Iowa in Ghana Exhibit andentertaining demonstrations focused around Black Inventors. In addition to other relevant exhibits and attractions, presentations from Quad Cities Blues Great, Hal Reed and New Orleans visual and instrumental artist Mikiel Williams.
Registration
Registration Deadline is January 5, 2008. However due to the interest this program has had in the past it is important that you submit your registration promptly. Schools interested in participating in the IMMAWII Black History Game Show will need to register their team as soon as possible. Study guides will be sent to the participants upon registration so it is to your advantage to register early.
If your school is in need there is limited funding available for bus transportation to this event through IMMAWII. Contact us for more information. We look forward to seeing you on January 25, 2008.
THANK YOU!