Sanford Middle School Presents Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song
Minneapolis, MN – Sanford Middle School will host a celebration honoring four Sanford community elders at the Sanford Middle School auditorium on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM. The Elder Wisdom, Children’s Song™ community celebration is brought to you by Community Celebration of Place (501-C-3) and Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS).
Larry Long, creator of Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song, and Anthony Galloway, student program specialist for the West Metro Education Program (WMEP), has been working with Eric Sparks’ 7th grade students at Sanford Middle School to collectively write songs and gather recitations that honor the life stories of the following community elders:
• Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson: Superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools
• Shed Garett (Shed G): KMOJ Radio DJ, Actor, and Comedian
• Officer Manny Granroos: Police Liaison for Sanford Middle School
• Mohamed Salah Abdi: Educator and English Language Learner (ELL) Coordinator
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. http://www.mrac.org
Contact Information:
Larry Long, Executive Director
Community Celebration of Place
3357 – 36th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612-722-9775
larryl@communitycelebration.org
Vicki Jones, Family Liaison
Sanford Middle School
3524 – 42nd Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612-668-4914
liaison0102@yahoo.com
Larry Long, called "a true American Troubadour" by author Studs Terkel, has made his life work the celebration of American stories. In a curriculum called Elders' Wisdom, Children's Song™, he has brought elders, long established and newly arrived, into the classroom to share their life story with the younger generation. A Smithsonian Folkways recording artist, Larry has sung at major festivals, concerts and events throughout the U.S. and internationally. Long is a recipient of the prestigious Bush Artists Fellowship, the Pope John XXIII Award and In The Spirit of Crazy Horse Award for his work in forgotten communities. Please visit: http://www.larrylong.org
Founded out of demand for Long’s work across the country, Community Celebration of Place is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that uses oral history, music and art to strengthen communities and create intergenerational and multicultural opportunities for all students to prosper through a program entitled, Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song
For more information: http://www.communitycelebration.org
Minneapolis Public Schools promises an inspirational education experience in a safe, welcoming environment for all diverse learners to acquire the tools and skills necessary to confidently engage in the global community. To learn more: http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us
Anthony Galloway currently serves as the Student Learning Program Specialist for the West Metro Education Program. He has been involved in the arts community as an African Storyteller with Arts Us and a youth mentor through the Save Our Sons organization. Currently Mr. Galloway is a dancer with Legacy Lives Entertainments Michael Jackson Show. His advocacy for both arts education and multicultural youth expressions is featured in the book, “More Courageous Conversations About Race,” alongside Dr. Patrick Duffy, creator of the anti-racist student leadership program entitled Dare 2 Be Real.
The West Metro Education Program (WMEP) School District was formed in 1989 to cooperatively address integration issues in the west metro area. The mission of WMEP is to build the collective capacity of its members; to raise the achievement of all students; to eliminate the racial achievement gap; and to prepare all learners to thrive in a diverse world through regional leadership, integrated learning opportunities, shared resources, and mutual support. Member districts of WMEP are: Brooklyn Center, Columbia Heights, Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Minneapolis, Richfield, Robbinsdale, St. Anthony/New Brighton, St, Louis Park, and Wayzata. Please visit: http://wmep.k12.mn.us