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Potato Heads Teach a Lesson
Bob LaPree/Union Leader
Melissa Arnst, left, and Jennifer Smith
from Gilford Middle
School show off their potatoes that were used demonstrate
that outside appearences aside, we're all the same inside during
yesterday's Keeping the Dream Alive 7th annual cultural workshops held
yesterday at Waterville
Valley. More than 30
presenters from the law enforcement and military community were on hand to
talk to students about the issues of racisim and diversity in our society.
The event brought nearly 250 New
Hampshire and Massachusettes students together
for group activities exploring social interactions and prejudiced
attitudes. The youngsters were chosen to attend based on the diversity
project they created at their home schools. After attending the workshops
they will return to share their insights with their school peers. The
corporate host, Waterville Valley Corp., provided afternoon skiing and
boarding oppurtunities for the participants as well as passes for return
visits.
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Diversity workshop draws students
from NH, Mass.
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DATE: January 11, 2007
PUBLICATION: New Hampshire
Union Leader (Manchester,
NH)
EDITION: State
SECTION: News
PAGE: A9
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WATERVILLE VALLEY
-- More than 250 students from the Boston
area and across New Hampshire
had a chance to ski, snowboard, eat pizza and, most importantly, meet
each other at the 7th annual "Keeping The Dream Alive" workshop
at Waterville Valley Resort yesterday.
Using Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision, students from inner city
schools and those from small country schools attended the event and had a
chance to interact outside the classroom.
Middle school students from Hillsboro-Deering; Armand
Dupont Middle
School in Allenstown; Gilford
Middle School; Waterville Valley
Elementary, Mountview Middle School in Holden,
Mass., Donald
McKay School
in East Boston and Rafael Hernandez School
in Roxbury, Mass., attended. Wayne Jennings,
president of NH Cultural Diversity Council, host of the event, said the
day annually leads to a better understanding of one another.
"The kids leave feeling that they have more in common with each
other," he said.
Although the weather conditions recently have been unkind to the ski
industry, Waterville
Valley was covered
in white had lots of trails open, including its novice Lower Meadows
slope. A light snow fell throughout the day.
The program is believed to be the only one of its kind in New England to bring together middle school
students for a day of diversity training, as well as skiing and
snowboarding.
The program goal is to foster greater sensitivity and awareness of the
Martin Luther King Jr. holiday while promoting cultural diversity. Martin
Luther King Jr. -- Civil Rights Day is Monday, Jan. 15.
During the morning session professional trainers from area corporations,
educators, law enforcement and military worked with the students on such
issues as prejudice relating to one's economic status, language,
religious and ethnic origin.
Participating groups included the New Hampshire
and Massachusetts state police, police
from each of the communities where the groups were from, the U.S. Air
Force, 23rd Space Operations, based at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts and
the N.H. Army National Guard.
Corporate sponsors included Stop & Shop, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue
Shield, State of New Hampshire Department of Education and the Education
Alliance at Brown University in Providence, R.I.
Through the use of hands-on exercises, students learned problem-solving
strategies and positive ways to resolve conflicts.
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