An ASU Summer Bridge program designed to teach “at-risk” students about the Albany Civil Rights Movement has been awarded more than $100,000 by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The program focuses on the literature, music, and art created during the Albany Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s.
The initiative will select 25 “at-risk” tenth grade students from Dougherty and the surrounding counties in an effort to: (1) “improve critical reading, thinking, writing, and communication skills, (2) explore the texts, music, visual and performing arts of the Albany Civil Rights Movement, and (3) involve them in obtaining oral histories from participants of the Albany Movement.”
“When we use the term ‘at-risk’, our goal is to target those students who have a ‘C’ grade point average or less. Many of these students are capable of doing their work but are just not motivated enough to complete the task,” said Dr. Marva Banks, professor of English and project director. “We want to use stimulating activities involving the Albany Movement to help and motivate students to learn.”
The six-week NEH program will begin in June of 2012. The student participants will have the opportunity to improve their communication and academic skills in the context of the humanities structure: literature, film, music, art, and local history.
For more information on the ASU Summer Bridge Program, contact Dr. Banks at (229) 430-4698.
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