What will you do for Freedom Project 2000?
For summer 2000, we plan to build upon the success
of Freedom Summer '99 by expanding and improving our summer enrichment
program. We will lengthen the academic program from four weeks to
six weeks, and we will increase the number of students from 30 to 60.
The cost of the program will remain $200.
We will recruit a new crop of 30 middle school students
who will study the civil rights movement and take a nine-day Freedom Tour
at the end of the summer. Students who participated in Freedom Summer
'99 will return for an intensive study of slavery. At the end of
the summer, these students will take a separate tour that will enhance
their understanding of slavery and its effects on American History.
New students will take the following courses:
-
Reading: Students will read Anne Moody's Coming of Age in Mississippi
and
Ellen Levine's Freedom's Children. They will write a series
of reflective essays to be displayed on Freedom Day.
-
Oral History: To make connections to their past, students will learn
interviewing techniques, develop relevant questions, and conduct interviews
with members of their family and members of the community at large.
An introduction to their interviews, along with tape and photographs, will
be displayed on Freedom Day.
-
Computer Lab: Using the Internet, students will conduct research
on the civil rights movement. They will then construct a web page
displaying information about a particular person or event from the movement.
-
Special Activities: All students will take weekly courses in Health,
Physical Education, Music, and Conflict Resolution.
Returning students will take the following
courses:
-
Reading: Students will spend all six weeks reading Alex Haley's Roots
to
get an in-depth understanding of slavery and its effects on this country
and its people. They will write a series of reflective essays to
be displayed on Freedom Day.
-
Economics: To understand the capitalist world in which they live,
students will work on business projects, learn basic entrepreneurial skills,
and study the effects of market capitalism.
-
Computer Lab: Using the Internet, students will conduct research
on the slavery. They will then construct a web page displaying information
about a particular aspect of the slavery period.
-
Special Activities: All students will take weekly courses in Health,
Physical Education, Music, and Conflict Resolution.
The following courses will be offered as electives:
-
Drama: Students will practice for a full-length dramatic performance
to be held on Freedom Day. Those children who do not have major speaking
roles will construct the set for the play.
-
Dance and Public Performance: Students will practice African dance
performances to be displayed on Freedom Day. In addition, they will
develop their public performance skills through speeches, poetry readings,
and skits.
--> Who is eligible for the program?
Freedom Project 2000 is open to Sunflower County
children aged 12 - 15 in grades 6 -8. Space is limited: Only 30 new
children will be allowed to participate; students who participated in Freedom
Summer '99 will be given first priority, so long as they still meet the
age and grade requirements.
--> Who will teach the classes?
The summer activities will be directed and taught
by former Teach for America teachers in the area. They will be aided
by college students recruited for the summer.
--> Where will the activities be?
All of our classes will be held at Mississippi Delta
Community College in Moorhead.
--> When will the program start?
The program will run from June 12, 2000, until
August 1, 2000. At the end of the academic component, students will
hold a special Freedom Day for parents and the public during which they
will perform their play and display their summer projects.
--> How can I help?
Freedom Project 2000 will be an expensive endeavor,
costing approximately $700 per student. All children must raise $200
in order to participate in the program, but we will not exclude any child
for economic reasons. Most of the funding will necessarily come from
outside sources. Any financial help you can provide will be appreciated.
Please send your tax-exempt contribution to:
Sunflower County Freedom Project
P.O. Box 701
Sunflower, MS 38778
We expect Freedom Project 2000 to be a great
success! Please join us!