COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM (CEP)
The Sacramento Juneteenth Festival, Inc. Community Education Program (CEP) will target youth in 5th and 6th grades within the Elk Grove School District. CEP will focus on three key areas as it relates to the significance of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation while addressing current issues affecting today’s youth. The three areas of concentration will be:
1. American History
2. Health and Wellness
3. Producing Annual Two-day Festival
The CEP program will present historical information through the medium of music, art work, skits and stories to share the impact that freed slaves have had on America. Our goal is to empower and educate youth. We are dedicated to promoting academic and social achievement within under-served schools.
1. American History
As part of the CEP’s American History component we have partnered with the Elk Grove Unified school district’s elementary schools to share the important role newly freed men and women played in shaping current day America. The program will focus on the areas of study listed below. The programs will be delivered in a classrooms setting as part of the districts after school programs.
Freed Slaves impact on America:
A. Wars, Civil, Tuskegee Airmen, Buffalo soldiers
B. Significance of the 13th Amendment
C. Agriculture, Farming, Cotton
D. Emancipation proclamation, Confederate v. Union
E. Economics, Manufacturing, Industrialization (shipping, railroad)
F. Inventions
The American History portion of the CEP will be delivered in a classroom setting. CEP intends to hire two part-time professional educators. Instructors in American history will deliver the information in one hour sessions to 5th & 6th grade students. There are six classes in each grade level, thus each month for one school year (10 months) we will deliver the American History sessions in the Elk Grove Unified School districts after-school programs.
While an inclusive program, the goal of the CEP program is to motivate and inspire youth to reach their highest potential. Sharing the proud contributions of African Americans, we give credence to the fact that all decedents of immigrants are able to achieve in spite of adverse situations.
The American History component will highlight the many contributions of African American ancestors who transcended racial barriers against and insurmountable odds to succeed. Highlighting the contributions of African Americans will instill a sense of pride in some and dispel myths and stereotypes for others. By learning the history and culture of others, children are better able to appreciate and respect cultural differences. This activity is in furtherance of the organization’s exempt purposes as it promotes and preserves cultural heritage by providing educational and historical data not otherwise found in traditional textbooks. By offering a broad historical perspective on African American contributions all students can correlate determination, persistence and consistency with achievement. Thus, students have a greater pathway to successful outcomes as adults and become contributors to the fabric of American society.
The benefit of this component is to provide youth with the additional information needed to fully understand and appreciate the entire story of America’s history and the contributions of all. By recognizing and emphasizing the important role newly freed men played in American history youth will understand America’s history in its entirety. And are more apt to appreciate and respect the cultures of others. In addition, many African American children are unaware of their full heritage, when children can connect success and positive contributions with people who look like them, they are more likely to achieve and set higher goals for themselves.