Middle School

11-13 years

Black Girls Don't

Program Description:

In this presentation Prenicia tells her story of overcoming society putting young Black girls in a box and what it really means to create your own path in life. Prenicia to this day constantly challenges the stereotypes of Black women and uses her story to inspire youth.

Black Girls Don't Sing Opera!

What does it mean to be a Black girl performing in a predominantly white field? 

Black Girls Don't Lead!

RACE: The Power of an Illusion (Episode I: The Difference Between Us)

Program Description:

Join us for a viewing and facilitated discussion of the award-winning documentary series by California Newsreel. RACE—The Power of an Illusion is a provocative three-hour series that questions the very idea of race as biology. Scientists tell us that believing in biological races is no more sound than believing the sun revolves around the earth. So if race is a biological myth, where did the idea come from? And why should it matter today?

The History and Lore of Santa Claus

Many folks know that our modern-day Santa Claus had his start as St. Nicholas, but what happened on the journey to make us think of a "jolly old elf" rather than a pious Christian Bishop? Where, exactly, did Santa Claus come from, and why does his popularity remain so high in modern American popular culture?

This illustrated lecture is well-researched, with details on the journey Bishop Nicholas made to become our current-day Santa Claus. You’ll enjoy recognizing many familiar images and poems in this holiday program.

Twice in a Lifetime: experience with an exhibition on the Pandemic of 1918 & how it resonates in 2020

In 2018 Micaela Sullivan-Fowler installed an exhibition called "Staggering Losses: WW1 and the Influenza Pandemic of 1918." Little did she know that the exhibition would be shuttered by another Pandemic, the one we are experiencing in 2020. She will give a short background on the exhibition itself, how the "Spanish Flu" affected our local populations and how the exhibition resonated for those who visited. Micaela will also touch on the similarities and differences between the two Pandemics.

Teaching in Polarized Times

Teaching in Polarized Times

The political climate in the United States makes it extremely challenging for schools and universities to fulfill their historic obligation to teach for democracy.  During the session, Dean Diana Hess will argue that despite significant and growing challenges to democratic education in K-12 schools and higher education, it remains a vitally important part of our mission.