Events for 2020

 

SATURDAY, JAN. 18

 

Public School Visitation

Middle school and high school students and families will have the opportunity to attend a variety of fun and educational breakout sessions. Activities will be available for middle school ages and above. Community tables, as well as the MLK Memorabilia Exhibit for high school students, will be available in the Bernhard Center. Middle school students will participate in the Career Cruising program where they will engage in interactive, experiential breakout sessions to broaden their understanding of education and career pathways. High school students will have the opportunity to engage in practical and social justice-related breakout sessions. The event is open to families from Kalamazoo Public Schools and surrounding school districts.  Note: This year, the Social Justice Book Bowl elimination and final competitions will be held at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, at Linden Grove. For accommodations and further information, contact Scott Hennessy at scott.hennessy@wmich.edu

  • 8:45 a.m. registration, community organization tables, and MLK memorabilia display
  • Bernhard Center ballroom

MonDAY, JAN. 27

WMU and Kalamazoo Public School District Social Justice Art and Social Justice Book Bowl Competitions

Art Competition

Art competition featuring original student artwork that honors Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy and exemplifies the celebration's annual theme. Art often has a way of unifying people and bringing sensitive issues to light. This competition encourages young people to find creative and artistic ways of bringing the Kalamazoo community together around a common purpose. Fifteen selected art competition pieces will be on display at Linden Grove. Judges will select three winning pieces. The top ten finalists will be part of a traveling exhibit around Kalamazoo.

Social Justice Book Bowl Elimination Competition

Reading competition designed to encourage the love of reading and to promote literacy in Kalamazoo Public Schools. The program exposes young people to different genres of young adult literature focused on social justice in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Each student is responsible for reading two books, including one fiction and one non-fiction selection. Students read the assigned books and prepare with their coaches and teammates for the competition.

Time:

4:30 p.m.

Location:

Linden Grove Middle School
4241 Arboretum Parkway
Kalamazoo, MI 49006

For accommodations and further information, contact Lauren Carney (lauren.carney@wmich.edu, 387-2129).

Both competitions begin around September/October and culminate in January.

WATCH THE SOCIAL JUSTICE BOOK BOWL VIDEO

February 5th

Social Justice Book Bowl Final Competition

Reading competition designed to encourage the love of reading and to promote literacy in Kalamazoo Public Schools. The program exposes young people to different genres of young adult literature focused on social justice in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Each student is responsible for reading two books, including one fiction and one non-fiction selection. Students read the assigned books and prepare with their coaches and teammates for the competition.

Time:

4:30 p.m.

Location:

Linden Grove Middle School
4241 Arboretum Parkway
Kalamazoo, MI 49006

For accommodations and further information, contact Lauren Carney (lauren.carney@wmich.edu, 387-2129).

Wednesday, Feb. 19

"The Courage to Create" poetry celebration

The Courage to Create Program is a writing and research competition designed to encourage the love of poetry, student research in the role of writers as agents for social change, and to promote literacy in middle and high school students. The program exposes young people to various genres of poetry and will provide a forum for parents and families, local writers, literacy experts, and faculty, staff, and students from local higher education institutions to build a supportive community to foster youth’s creative writing and historical research activities. The Courage to Create Program is open to all middle and high school students.  Poets are welcome to enter poetry on themes of social justice and equality.
 
Poetry submissions and permission forms for the Courage to Create Program are due Sunday, January 20, 2019. The program is open to all students in grades 7 ‐ 12.
 
For accommodations and further information, contact william.r.craft@wmich.edu.
  • 4 p.m.
  • WMU Multicultural Center in the Adrian Trimpe Building.