Seven delegates representing Cambodia, Canada, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe participated in an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) multi-regional project and spent several days in northwest Florida, first in Tallahassee examining youth participation in the 2010 mid-term elections, and then in Pensacola.
The U. S. Department of State outlined the following objectives for their stay:
- To highlight efforts to teach youth to respect ethnic and religious diversity;
- To showcase the importance of pluralism, tolerance, and volunteerism as components of civic life in the United States; and
- To explore model programs that promote civic awareness and youth leadership in a variety of contexts such as schools, colleges, youth clubs, sports programs, arts programs, and interfaith-initiatives.
Following a brief program orientation and introduction to the history of the area, the group traveled to Pensacola High School (PHS) to meet faculty members and to hear about the school’s highly rated International Baccalaureate Program (IB). In attendance were English Instructor & Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council Board Member Susan Smart, IB Program Director Deanna Gordon, Principal David Williams, Assistant Principal Joy McMichael, and Instructor Michael Jones. After a school tour and a little basketball in the new gym, each of the visitors observed several classrooms and made presentations on their respective countries. For lunch, PHS home economics students, under the instruction of Melissa Goodan, prepared and served a southern-style meal for the group. For many, this was their first experience with turnip greens, fried green tomatoes, okra, corn bread, cheese grits, Mississippi Mud Pie, and iced tea.
After lunch, Lee Little of The Global Corner discussed how her organization helps the Escambia County School District fulfill its desire to expand students’ knowledge of other cultures by introducing the children to the language, customs, and history of one country a year. This meeting was followed by a discussion examining diversity and interfaith issues with Dr. Brian Barlow of Hillcrest Baptist Church, Rev. Msgr. Luke Hunt of St. Ann Catholic Parish, Imam Ahmed Krichi of the Islam Dawah Center, First United Methodist Church’s Rev. Geoffrey Lentz, and Jerry Zivan of Temple Beth Shalom. At the end of the meeting, Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council board member Msgr. Hunt presented the delegates with certificates of honorary citizenship courtesy of Mayor Mike Wiggins and the City of Pensacola.
The next morning, the group met at Ensley Elementary School to observe the work of Jeanne Hooper and The Global Corner as they presented information on Brazil to curious students. Principal Patricia McElfresh gave the IVLP crew a warm welcome while Regina Smolensky, Ensley’s Teacher of the Year, offered some tips and encouragement in one-on-one time with a new teacher, the IVLP participant from Lebanon.
Following this, the group traveled to the University of West Florida (UWF) to join Associate Dean of Students, Dr. Lusharon Wiley, for a brainstorming session exploring ideas for promoting student involvement in diversity activities. As founder and director of The Common Ground Diversity and Inclusion Training Group, Dr. Wiley is committed to promoting diversity and intercultural exchange at UWF. Common Ground student members, Kevin Bender and Yashica Washington joined the group along with Dr. Doug Freidrich, Professor of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Vannee Cao-Nguyen, Adjunct Professor, and Dr. Kevin Bailey, Vice President for Student Affairs.
The last meeting of the day took the group to the Perdido Tribe of Creek Indians to learn how the tribe educates others about Native American history and culture through their hands-on educational program and their traveling “Bearmobile” museum. Delegates met with Chief Bearheart and Micco Bobby Johns “Cedar Bear” and enjoyed a display of traditional music and dance as well as native artifacts.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this project. We are especially grateful to Dick and Jeanne Hooper, Enid Wilson, and Rob and Melody Brooks for hosting the visitors to dinner in their homes and to the Brian Barlow family for taking one of the participants to Cordova Mall.
