University of Wisconsin faculty and students introduced high school students from across Wisconsin to cultures, current issues and languages of Central Asia through short lectures and presentations at “A Day in Central Asia and the Caucasus” Tuesday.
A Day in Central Asia and the Caucasus consisted of three small group sessions, each broken down into five different activities that focused on a variety of areas, from the Kazak language and Tajik culture to archaeology and everyday life in Central Asia.
The high school students then rotated to attend the various activities offered during these sessions, conducted by UW professors and graduate students from the history, political science and Central Asian studies departments.
This three-hour program was put on by Center for Russia, East Europe and Central Asia and was paid for through a federal grant from the Department of Education. With this grant, CREECA is able to organize annual events that educate high school students about this area of the world. Last year’s program was about Russia, and next year’s topic is Eastern Europe.
Although this was the first presentation about Central Asia, it ran smoothly, said David Weber, the outreach coordinator of the event.
“In three years, we will do it again,” Weber said.
Weber was impressed with the overall success of A Day in Central Asia and the Caucasus, with the turnout of more than 100 students, and with the presenters’ comments about the high school students’ attentiveness and insightful questions about the subject matter.
“We are trying to get information out to students and teachers,” Weber said. “Especially since we have troops in this region.”
The general consensus of the event was positive from the high school teachers and students. However, evaluations were taken and everyone made suggestions for improvement.
“I really enjoyed it,” said Christie Crowell, a Global Communications teacher from Hartford Union High School. “It is a great outreach to the community (and) there is so much knowledge out there, especially these specific details, that it is a great way for me to learn too.”
Crowell said she would rate A Day in Central Asia and the Caucasus at a four on a scale of five points, and she believed it was a success. She hoped students would take away with them “the idea that different isn’t bad or weird and that there is diversity around the world.”
The high school students were more critical of the program. Krystle Frey, Brittni Bunch and Chelsea Hurst, freshmen from Waunakee High School, said they rated the event a seven on a 10-point scale.
Hurst admitted that the three knew nothing of the Central Asia region before the program, “but it was a lot of information at once and some parts were long.”
The high school students also gave constructive criticism about the event, including breaking the day up more, staying in one group instead of breaking into separate sessions, and providing more “hands-on” activities to keep participants’ interest.
“It did broaden our horizons on the subject,” Bunch said. “The session on Armenia was definitely my favorite.”
