Student authors to speak about book, Ghana trip
On May 7, students from the Home Base After School Program will speak about their newly-published children’s book, Magical Masks, and their recent trip to Ghana, Africa. Cecilia Mora Pitts, Randall Wilson, and Mary Rasheed Rhodes, all 8th graders at Central Middle School, will discuss the Home Base Program, the process of creating their book, and what affected them most on their journey through Ghana. Joining them will be Home Base Program Coordinator Shirley Mae Springer Staten.
Copies of Magical Masks will be available for $10 each.
Also at this luncheon: Find out which Alaska Professional Communicators were winners in the annual communication contest!
Help us promote this event! Download a poster for your local coffee shop or place of employment.
Luncheon Information
11:30 a.m., Thursday, May 7
Golden Lion Hotel, 1000 East 36th Avenue, Anchorage
Lunch: members $16; guests of members $18; others $20
Reservations:
1. RSVP and payment through PayPal.2. Email: thetus at gci dot net by noon Tuesday, May 5.
3. Call 274-4723 and leave a message, including a phone number where you can be reached. When calling or sending an email, please include how many people are coming and their names.
More about Home Base After School Program
The Home Base After School Program offers children in 4th through 8th grade a safe and nurturing environment where they can participate in active, hands-on learning activities that are not always available during the school day. With Home Base, kids get the opportunity to shine. They can become authors of a book, write a play, create a poem, write music, learn a different language, and develop an appreciation for other cultures.
Since it opened its doors in October 2006, the Home Base After School Program has supported academic achievement in math, technology and science. The program also includes study in French, Spanish, Japanese, music appreciation, etymology of the English language, film making, Tai Chi, and African Culture.
Home Base After School is more than just a safe environment for youth. It is also a creative place where a “community of leaners,” including young people, mentors, and staff, use technology as a tool for learning and creative expression. The coordinator for the program is Ms. Shirley Mae Springer Staten, an international keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and performing artist.
More about the Ghana trip
After two years of fundraising, many of the Home Base students traveled to Ghana, Africa in March 2009. There they toured the University of Ghana, orphanages, schools, villages, and wildlife areas. They presented their hosts with gifts of Magical Masks and school supplies. Each student has prepared a 5-7 minute presentation to share with different groups in the Anchorage community.
More about Magical Masks
Magical Masks was written and illustrated entirely by students in the Home Base After School Program. Working under the guidance of children’s author and APC member Dianne Barske and reading teacher Shirley Nelson, the students crafted their characters, researched content, and created illustrations to bring the text alive. APC member Mariah Oxford created the final book design.
Magical Masks tells the story of two orphans, Sarah and Jordan, whose adoptive parents bring traditional masks back to New York with them after a trip to Alaska. When the children put on the masks, they are magically transported to Alaska, first to Angoon, and then to Shishmaref. In each location they interact with Alaska Natives and learn about native traditions.
More information
Visit www.homebasekids.com.
Listen to the February 18 Community Forum interview with Shirley Mae Springer, Cecilia Mora Pitts, and Marcus Drayton.
