Festival of Learning in New Mexico
For too many kids in the United States, school breaks mean disconnection from learning experiences, from books and educational games, and even from group social interactions. School break “Festivals of Learning”, as extensions of weekly Street Libraries, bridge this gap. Among other things, the Festivals of Learning provide a crucial continuity in learning for children from low-income families.The Festivals of Learning bring interactive reading, cooperative games and art activities to families in under-served communities during school breaks. They take place in view of the entire community and rely on the support and input from parents and community members. They also enrich the neighborhood by bringing some positive and constructive things to do and giving neighbors an opportunity to be a part of community building.Well, up in Gamerco our New Mexico team had tons of fun in the scorching hot sun at their festival! Here is what they had to say:
"The festival is an extended version of our Street Library, for longer hours of interaction with books and puzzles, more elaborate activities, and more games and Fun Festivities! The festival took place Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday during Spring Break. The first day we made Brazilian Carnival hats and tambourines. Day Two Gabriel joined us, a guest Street Library volunteer-in-training to help us make guitars and drums with the kids. And finally, our Finale, we went fishing in the desert!!! Then we took our Festival on Parade through the neighborhood, using all the things we had made and stopping at each family’s home to greet the folks and take a Polaroid for them to keep!
"What shone the greatest was the support the community has really begun to show us and ways parents have been getting more actively engaged. More and more we notice families expressing how much they value the learning experience simply by arranging errands to allow their children to come. The grandpa of a ten year old girl, one of our frequent participants at the Gamerco Street Library, lives near the playground. He quickly and kindly agreed when we asked if we could store a bunch of our supplies in his backyard during the festival. Every day kids helped us to carry the materials to the park. On our regular visit this week, one of the parents brought over a whole watermelon, a big sweet donation to our Gallup Team! The juice will taste that much sweeter knowing it came as a gift of solidarity and gratitude from his heart."
