More than 250 fifth-graders from Camelot Intermediate School are taking part in an inaugural Cultural Appreciation Day Event at the Children’s Museum of South Dakota this Tuesday, Nov. 7.
As a part of the event, students will participate in small group activities encouraging them to explore their personal culture. They will also learn about the cultures of 13 countries that will be represented at booths called Cultural Conversation Stations. By the end of the day, organizers hope students will be able to identify similarities and differences among their personal cultures and strengthen intercultural communication.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity for these children to self-reflect, collaborate and leave the day with a better appreciation for who they are as well as how they perceive their fellow classmates and the community around them.” Amanda Quam, South Dakota World Affairs Council executive board member.
The Cultural Appreciation Day event is the result of four organizations working together to provide area fifth-graders with an opportunity to learn more about culture, inclusion, and empathy in an out-of-classroom experience.
Representatives from South Dakota State University (SDSU), the Brookings School District, the Children’s Museum of South Dakota and the South Dakota World Affairs Council have spent the past seven months organizing the activities.
“The collaborative nature of the event illustrates this community’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment built on mutual respect and understanding,” says Molly Enz, associate professor of modern languages and global studies at SDSU.
The event is a part of a broader community-wide engagement related to the area’s commitment to inclusion.
“It is a timely message for students to understand and value differences and diversity while developing their own cultural identity. I am proud to be part of a community that values diversity and promotes cultural understanding in our youth,” says fifth-grade teacher Tyler Bolstad.
The plan is for this event to become an annual offering.
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About the partners
Camelot Intermediate School is a part of the Brookings School District 05-1 and serves approximately 525 4th- and 5th-grade students. It works toward the mission of strengthening foundations and igniting a love of learning as students pursue a lifelong quest for success.
The Children’s Museum of South Dakota, located in Brookings, SD, promotes learning for children of all ages and abilities through interactive, informal, hands-on exhibits and demonstrations. The museum has welcomed more than 600,000 guests from around the world who make memories while learning through play.
South Dakota State University is the state’s largest, most comprehensive higher-education institution. As South Dakota’s Morrill Act land-grant university, SDSU had a fall 2016 enrollment of 12,613 students from 49 states and 85 countries. Students can choose from 73 majors, 36 specializations, 75 minors, 33 master’s degree programs, 15 Ph.D. programs and two professional doctorates. The university also offers courses at various off-campus sites as well as undergraduate and graduate programs online through the Office of Continuing and Distance Education.
The South Dakota World Affairs Council, based in Brookings, is formed exclusively for educational purposes to provide information and learning opportunities about world affairs to the people of South Dakota and the region.
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