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Download our Fall 2007 Newsletter |
Successful 4th Symposium on Bringing the World to Your Classroom
February 25-26, 2008
University of Nebraska-Kearney
The Malaika Foundation in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Education and the Office of International Education at the University of Nebraska-Kearney organized the 4th Symposium for 64 Nebraska Teachers, February 25-26, 2008.
The evaluations gave high reviews for the 14 key note speakers. One teacher summarized the symposium by stating, "Overall-a really great symposium. I have quite a few things to do now. A lot of students will benefit from all these opportunities. Can't wait until next year".
Fourteen guest speakers highlighted the following:
- Provided hundreds of library resources on international topics that are accessible and provided without cost to Nebraska Teachers.
- Advice on foreign language assistance grants.
- Three Kenneth Morrison Fellows gave overviews on their travel to Cambodia, Thailand and Mexico
- Suggestions on incorporating art and elegance for global classrooms.
- Strategies for incorporating global economics in Nebraska Curricula
- Offered practical suggestions for better understanding international trade and financial markets in the classroom.
- Provided hundreds of library resources on international topics that are accessible, without cost, to Nebraska teachers.
- Opportunities for Nebraska Teachers to be Henry Beachell Fellows and participate in the World Food Prize Youth Institute, Des Moines Iowa in 2008.
- Key note address on "Listen to the Land" provided Nebraska folk lore and history-how to understand your own culture before you can understand the world.
- Challenges and success of African development with particular attention to Liberia
- Importance of linking with African schools and opportunities for Nebraska schools to provide supplies for a "teachers closet"-surplus goods to be shipped to Malawi and Liberia.
- Ideas for expanding agricultural and nutrition knowledge for classrooms.
- Distant learning opportunities for Nebraska classrooms linking with schools internationally.
- Special presentation on "Turning Stumbling Blocks Into Stepping Stones"-a focus on the importance of humor in our lives.
Key participants at the Symposium included Larry Starr, Director of Social Studies-Education for the Nebraska Department of Education, Denise Pedersen, 6th Grade Educator, Grand Island, Nebraska and a 2007 recipient of the Kenneth Morrison Fellowship and key note speaker, Dr. Robert Manley, eminent Nebraska scholar and historian.
Eugenie Solt, newly appointed Executive Director-Development, The Malaika Foundation, Kelli King, member of the Malaika Foundation Board of Directors, Jerry Fox, Director of the Office of International Education, University of Nebraska-Kearney, and Melissa Kushner, Founder and Executive Director of Goods for Good International.
Dr. Roger B. Butters, President of the Nebraska Council on Economic Education, who inspired the 64 teachers on the importance of illuminating the human element in global economics.
Shelly Harrold representing the Office of the Nebraska Secretary of State bestowed an Honorary Nebraska Citizenship to Melissa Kushner, Founder and Executive Director, Goods for Good International and Dr. Florence Chenoweth, Former Minister of Agriculture-Liberia. Both Dr. Chenoweth and Ms. Kushner were special guests of The Malaika Foundation at the Symposium and had the opportunity of a VIP Tour of the Nebraska State Capitol. They are pictured with Susan Seacrest, member of the Malaika Foundation Board of Directors at the Office of the Nebraska Secretary of State-John Gale.
Mary Lynn Reiser, Nebraska Council on Economic Education, University of Nebraska, Omaha, presenting impressive class examples of international economics.
Dr. Natalie Hahn, Founder and President of the Malaika Foundation, with teachers Ryan A. Deike and Connie Jones, R.M. Marrs Magnet School, Omaha, who attended the Symposium.
Panel presenters on the World Food Prize (WFP) Youth Institute. The panel included 3 Nebraskan students who were the first Henry Beachell Fellowship recipients to attend the WFP Youth Institute,, including Lacey Jarecke, High Plains Community High School, Sydney Paige, Northwest High School, Grand Island and Elizabeth Westendorf, East High School, Lincoln, Also pictured-Zachary Stewart, recipient of the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship and Cindy Snell, environmental science and marine technology teacher at a magnet school in Des Moines, Iowa.
Teachers at the Symposium-most attended for the first time. The evaluations highlighted the extensive organizational work for the event and the usefulness to their students.
University of Nebraska-Kearney students from Tibet provided an elegant traditional harvest dance for the 125 guests at the international dinner.