Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 76

4E Our Towns Southuvst, Rochester, N.Y., Wednesday, June 5, 1991 -V XSr1 'X SCHOOLS Civil rights pursuit SCHOOL CALENDAR I -T- i 1 lm i the gym at the high school; Middle school staff Appreciation Day. I TOMORROW Brasser Parent-Teacher Recognition Luncheon; Paul Road School Family Association Officers' meeting at 7 p.m. at the school. I FRIDAY Disney fifth-grade picnic at Hamil Beach State Park. il! iff SI "j-5'tij y.

v. Children's author Marc Brown signs a copy of 'Arthur's Teacher Trouble' as Webster elementary first-graders Erin Black, center, and Jordan Maclntyre look on. The 'aardvark9 author president," said the former Roches-terian, who moved to Atlanta in December. "There was clearly a void." Smith, who received $5,000 grant from Xerox, gave Black History kits to 2,300 third-graders in the City School district in 1989. But with the popularity of the kits.

Smith said students were finishing them before they could share them with their family, "I wanted something the students and their families could do together." But why third-graders? "I have friend in the city school district who said third-graders can capture about eight people," said Smith. But Smith admits it was difficult choosing only eight African-Americans. While the game has an Afrocen-tric theme, Smith said she created the game to appeal to all cultural groups. The game is being considered for sales by the national toy-store chain Toys 'R' Us. But Smith said she wanted corporate sponsors so she could give it away.

While this is the first year of the game, Smith said some changes will be made, including changing the color and texture of the cards so players cannot see through them and adding more cards about other African-Americans for players who go through the first set Smith brought the game to third-graders at School 9 in Rochester last month so local students would have an opportunity to try it. So what did the students and teachers think? "It was fun," said Rene Orengo, 9. Michael McCloud, 8, said "I would not change anything." "It's hard," said Wilson Castillo, 9. But he said he would study to get the right answers to the questions. "It's not hard," said Sheree Bell, 8.

"It is a wonderful way to get information to kids rather than through a lecture. They learn while they play," said Karen Renner, a third-grade teacher. Smith left two games for each 'V Upcoming events and meetings at local schools: CAL-MUMF0RD TODAY Iowa testing for sixth-graders until Friday; Annual Budget Vote from noon to 8 p.m. in the high school auditorium. FRIDAY Fourth-grade trip to the Erie Canal; Instrumental All-State Solo Auditions at Wayne Central School through Saturday.

SATURDAY Achievement Tests for 11th- and 12th-grad-ers. TUESDAY Cal-Mum Learning Tree Graduation at First Presbyterian Church, 3080 West Main, Caledonia; Board of Education meeting at 7 p.m. in the board room at the high school. CHURCHVILLE-CHILI TODAY Budget Vote in the middle school cafeteria from 1 to 9:30 p.m. TOMORROW Senior high school Band Banquet at the Lodge on the Green Party House, 2888 Ridgeway from 6 to 11 p.m.

FRIDAY Senior high school Senior Banquet at the Wishing Well Restaurant Party House, 1190 Chili at 5:30 p.m. MONDAY Fairbanks Road Elementary School Parents Association reogranization meeting at 8 p.m.; Community Information Committee meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the administration office; Continuing Education Registration from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the main foyer at the senior high school until Tuesday. TUESDAY Board of Education meeting at 7:30 p.m.

in the district building, 139 Fairbanks Road. GATES-CHILI TODAY Annual District Vote from noon to 9 p.m. in ss? A Board game focuses on black heritage By Diana Carter Our Towns ROCHESTER What is Frederick Douglass's full name? Name a stop on the Underground Railroad. If you can answer these questions, you may be able to get to the top of Mountain Climbers. Mountain Climbers World History Game is a game designed by Monica Smith.

Smith, a Xerox employee who lives in Atlanta, developed the game with three others. It focuses on eight famous African-Americans including Harriett Tubman and Phyllis Wheatley. Players are required to answer questions in order to reach the top. The questions, some of which are multiple choice, are based on research Smith did at the public library. Other questions include naming the articles of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and singing the first four lines of the Negro National Anthem.

Marsha Jones, a marketing and communications manager at State University College at Brockport, helped Smith with some of the initial research and design. "We designed this because the students knew shallow things on Harriett Tubman and the Underground Railroad," said Jones. Jones said a secondary reason for the game was to correct some of the facts about some African-Americans. For example, Charles Drew, who discovered means of preserving blood plasma, died after a car accident because his injuries were too severe, and not because a whites-only hospital would not admit him as is popularly believed. Smith said the game's title was inspired by Martin Luther King "I've Been To The Mountain-top" Bpeech given April 3, 1968.

But the game was created in part from her reaction to the explanation of Black History Month. Smith a member of the Big BrotherBig Sister program, said it was her "little brother's" vague answer to a question that prompted her to do more. "When I asked him who George Washington Carver was, he told me something about him being the Stirring up Gates-Chili looks at multicultural education process By Diana Carter Our Towns GATES Gates-Chili schools want to define "multicultural education" before they do anything about it. After a yearlong study, the district's Multicultural Understandings Committee last week suggested the district form a uniform definition of multicultural understandings and develop a board policy on multicultural education. "We don't have all the answers," said committee head Edna Claun-chassociate superintendent for instruction.

Claunch said definitions of multicultural education vary. Some approaches to the definition are through the curriculum, while other schools treat multicultural education like an affirmative action policy. "It is not black and white issues, (but) it is all aspects." When the district settles on a Movies are better than ever or are they? Read film critic Jack Garner in the Democrat and Chronicle 3894 I Reg. $2.00 Market Harrington's RUSH-HENRIETTA TODAY Leary concert at the junior high school at 7:15 p.m.; Sherman concert at the senior high school at 7:15 p.m.; Fyle concert at 7 p.m. at the school; Committee on Special Education meeting at the high school.

TOMORROW Leary kindergarten registration; Crane concert at the junior high school at 7:30 p.m.; Spring Sports Awards at 7:15 p.m. at the high school; District Parent Advisory Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the junior high school. FRIDAY New York Secondary School Music Association solo festival vocal at Mynderse Academy, Seneca County, instrumental at Wayne Central through Saturday; Senior Banquet at the Gateway Inn. SATURDAY Achievement Test.

SUNDAY Royal Comets Awards brunch at noon at Gateway Banquet Conference Center, 4853 West Henrietta Road. MONDAY Instructional testing through June 14; Leary spelling bee; Junior high school outdoor concert at 7:30 p.m. at the school. TUESDAY Board of Education meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria in the high school, 1799 Lehigh Station Road.

WHEATLAND-CHILI TODAY Connor School Arts Festival at the school; School Budget Vote from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. TUESDAY Board of Education meeting, 7:30 p.m. at juniorsenior school library. BEEIUSID.

Rust Preventive Enamel With Built-in Primer Prevents Rust Best! Resists chipping, peeling lading Ideal lor wood, mtlal masonry SPRAYS QUARTS $6199 $80 7273 VICTOR-PITTSFORD RD rtWPWrl mom nan Buoah Our Towns said he loves to see where his books end up. He said he gets 100 to 150 invitations to visit schools a year and he sets aside about 30 days each year to do so. And he said each of his visits is as jam-packed as his Rochester tour. "I'm naturally introverted and a day like this for me is intense." But it's the children who fuel his imagination. And he, in turn, fuels theirs.

Pre-first-grader Brian Knopp presented the author with a crayon portrait of Arthur the aardvark before Brown's presentation began. As a part of his show, Brown returned the favor by re-creating illustrations of his characters with a felt-tip pen on sheets of newsprint for the students to keep. And he told them where he gets his story ideas from children like them. He told them he started writing the day he was laid off from his teaching job in 1976. His son Tolon asked him to tell him a story about a weird animal.

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Gail Petri, a member of the program committee and a Fyle Elementary School librarian in the Rush-Henrietta school district, said the program provides a way for schools to share the rising cost of bringing well-know authors to town. The numerous appearances they make some authors, like Brown, charge a fee per presentation make the visits worthwhile for them. And Petri said when teachers and librarians familiarize students with the author's work before a visit, they're worth their price. After Brown's presentation at Plank Road North, teacher Barbara Cappon, also a member of the Celebrities in the Schools committee, said he was well worth the wait. Cappon, who has been bringing authors to Webster schools for the past 30 years, said she was pleased with the way Brown interacted with the children and changed the inflections in his voice while reading them one of his stories.

Brown's delivery showed his interest in the children. He talked with the children as he autographed their books, adding a personal note to his signature and encircling the message in a comic strip-style word balloon that pointed to the mouths of characters on the page. Brown, who in his purple- and white-striped oxford and bright yellow sweater fit right in with his colorful children's book characters, EVERY DAY LOW PRICES! Genesee Beer 2412ozCans 93 Classic or Diet COKE $4 99 8-16oz refillable bottles 2 MILK 12 gal. OQ plus tax deposit FAX Service VIDEO RENTALS 99 mm Drive JJlirfilfWIll rf Hs! Jt'y2 M'TrnEisTDnTn 011611 Moored For more information about Mountain Climbers, call Monica Smith at (404) 413-6801 or write Premiere Educational Services Inc. P.O.

Box 888875, Atlanta, Ga. 30356-0875. melting pot definition, Clauch said the school board may look at it to become the policy of the district. "We reviewed the others' policies and none quite fit Gates-Chili." She said a definition and policy may not be in place until early fall, because the school board cannot work on the suggestion until after school board elections. Claunch said three school board seats are to be voted on tonight and newly elected members will join the board July 1.

The committee also recommended creating a forum for students to discuss and resolve conflicts and hiring more culturally diverse staff. Claunch said the committee will continue its investigations during the 1991-92 school year. A survey will be done in the fall to get the community's assessment on the district's strenghths and weaknesses on the issue as well as serve as background for the committee make further reports to the school board. Claunch said the committee's findings will help the district improve. "We are all a melting pot, we have to make sure that no gets stuck to the bottom so we are stirring it up so everyone gets to the top." A WELCOME -mm, Pp.m.Aii Til 1 1 ''XI With bams available In over 25 styles and sizes, Coldwafer Lumber Is sure to have one to fit your backyard and your budget! See us today! Sm Florist TOBIAS gjgjipiiii aft i $g08 Special! fc gf Pack OT Market NOW Pack cHadlock's HOUSE OF PAINTS formerly of Westside 924-8310 2372 LYELL AVE.

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