Grant Awarded: November 2006

Type of Grant: We the People Grant

Sponsor: Interlochen Arts Academy

Contact: Marvine Stamatakis, 231-276-7200, stamatakismc@interlochen.org

Website: www.interlochen.org

Award: $3,377

The Michigan Humanities Council awarded a $3,377 We the People grant to the Interlochen Arts Academy for the project, The Changing Meaning of Work: Personal Narratives.

This project will allow students to learn about real Michigan workers, their stories, and the changing meaning of work in their lives. Students will learn about the history of work in Michigan by focusing on the 1936-37 Flint sit-down strike which forced General Motors to recognizes the workers' union and their needs, and led to the first contact between GM and the United Auto Workers. This will be contrasted with the Flint strike in 1998 which focused on more current issues of global overproduction, outsourcing of jobs, and displaced workers tyrig to redefine their roles in society.

Students wil discuss various definitions of work, which will then lead to the creation of an original radio drama and documentary under the tutelage of George Zarrr. For two weeks in spring 2007, students will be in residence with Interlochen ESL, during which he will work to guide teachers and students in synthesizing their research and documentation into a radio script. The script will be performed in the community and serve as a catalyst for our students and audiences to consider ways to make labor more meaningful in their own lives.

All of the curriculum will meet the content-level standards of Michigan grade-level expectations.