Dear Educator & Parents,
Happy Black History Month! This year I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa celebrates 23 years of highlighting African American Arts, Culture and Contributions. Despite a global pandemic, we are rising to the challenge of delivering this important event virtually. Once again we are pleased to offer our Education Day programming to middle and high school students throughout Iowa with the important goal of promoting education, awareness and preservation around African American history. We invite you and your students to join us virtually for a program filled with compelling educational experiences, inspiring presentations and continued engagement.
Who should attend? Educators and Youth Organizations are encouraged to ‘bring” their students to be a part of this historic learning experience. Education Day is a golden opportunity to enrich social studies, world history, world cultures or government classes. Regardless of your focus, you’ll want to take advantage of this opportunity to broaden your students’ cultural awareness and appreciation for diversity. Education Day is for ALL students regardless of heritage, grade point average or special needs.
With some of our normal in-person activities like the Black History Game Show unavailable due to the pandemic, this year our program has been reconfigured to engage students virtually. Here are the details:
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The Education Day Program is Friday, February 26, 2021 from 9 AM – 11 AM. We cut the timing to accommodate the shorter attention spans during virtual events. This high energy, fast-paced program will keep your students engaged while they learn more about African American contributions in Iowa. Program schedules will be provided with confirmation materials.
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IMMAWII Virtual Dashboard: Education Day traditionally offers workshops and exhibits on culture; art and history; STEM programing; hands-on activities; and a College Fair. This year we are offering these experiences to students virtually through our IMMAWII Virtual Dashboard. The Virtual Dashboard is an online hub that will allow the learning to continue after Education Day. It’s a classroom resource that will be available to IMMAWII Education Day attendees for a full year. It will feature an Iowa Civil Rights Documentary from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, STEM experiments, STEM Career interviews, historical trivia, and college readiness activities. It will also showcase our student competition winners and student history presentations as well.
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IMMAWII Education Day Competitions: Winners will be announced during the Education Day Program on February 26.
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Biz Pitch Competition: Calling all student entrepreneurs! Got an idea for a business? Enter this contest and pitch your idea to business leaders for a chance to win up to $200 to help start your business. The Biz Pitch Competition encourages students in both middle and high school divisions to start thinking about owning a business now. Check the box on the registration form for details. Students must register individually for the competition at www.Worldiniowa.org and be prepared to deliver their presentation via virtual appointment February 23-24, 2021.
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Black History Oratory Competition: In lieu of our Black History Game Show, students can compete in our Black History Oratory Competition. In the tradition of great speakers like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Frederick Douglass and Ida B. Wells who used their voice to make revolutionary change, this competition is a creative opportunity for students to learn African American history and connect the past to today’s issues while sharpening their oratory skills. Contestant could win up to $200 in prize money. Students must register individually for the competition and be prepared to deliver their presentation via virtual appointment February 23 -24, 2021.
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Heritage Legacy Awards: Each year the IMMAWII Advisory Board recognizes a student alongside other Iowans whose creative and civic activities in African American life and culture in Iowa have contributed to making the world and the state a better place for all. Please consider nominating a student in the youth category. Applications are on our website.
Registration: The registration deadline is February 22, 2021. Due to the interest this program has had in the past, it is important that you submit your registration promptly. For questions, please contact us at WWW.WorldinIowa.org or 515.288.7171
Education, History, Workshops & Fun!
