Fun Fest uses creative activities to educate

Bloomington High School South hosted an educational fun fest Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The lively event was filled with elementary to middle school-aged children, IU student volunteers and parents. The event was held in honor of MLK Day and to promote diversity, understanding and volunteerism. Most of the activities were run by IU student group volunteers to educate children about the importance of the day.\nBloomington's Grupo Acupe, a dance troop specializing in an Afro-Brazilian type of martial art, called Copoeira Angola, greeted fest-goers by performing to rhythmic drums and chanting.\n"I'm glad we're all here to celebrate this day," Sarah Graub, a member of Grupo Acupe and a senior at IU, said to a crowd of parents and their children, some of whom were spinning on their sides on the floor trying to imitate the dancers. \nWhile the performance drew the largest crowd, many other activities in which children could participate sought to promote understanding of diversity. From building a stadium out of cans that would later be donated to a food drive, to racing around in wheelchairs and on crutches, children of all ages seemed to be having a great time and learning a lot.\n"It's important to see what [disabled people] are like and how they're different," Lance Richards, 11, said about the wheelchair activity. "You can find out how it would be like to be like them and that it could happen to you."\n"I like it because it's fun," said his 10-year-old sister, Stephanie Richards.\nThe wheelchair and disabilities activities were put on by IU's Volunteer Students Bureau.\nThe general theme for the day was unity and diversity. Shari Montgomery, who was there with her children, said they came because they were looking for something to do.\n"It's good for kids to know who Martin Luther King Jr. is," Montgomery said. "This is good to have."\nThe Women's Student Association ran a sculpture-building area using canned foods, which attracted a lot of attention from younger children. \nSarah Goodrich, age 4, built a giant flower out of her cans. She said donating the cans is important because she likes to help other people since she likes people to help her.\n"Diversity is obviously a women's issue," Megan Miller, president of WSA said. "We just thought it would be a good way to get involved in MLK day."\nOther activities included a friendship bracelet table, a crossword puzzle table, a origami table, a drawing table and more. \nThe Asian Cultural Center ran a card-making table designed to "send a message of love, joy and happiness," while students from Collins Living and Learning Center had children design squares for a quilt answering the question "What is your dream for peace?"\nMany activities were designed to allow children of any age to participate. \nMembers of IU Beginnings-Community Plunge also volunteered at the event and had middle school kids help make a mural while elementary school kids made a book of drawings.\n"We knew there were going to be kids here," said IU freshman Alyssa Bernstein. "It's an important day for kids to be here."\nWhile most of the very young children didn't know exactly what the day meant, many had learned who Martin Luther King Jr. was in class this past week.\n"I have a lot of good friends who are (African-American) and without them I wouldn't have as many friends," said Lucy Farmer, 10, as she enjoyed pizza and cookies. "I think this was a good thing for them to do."\n-- Contact staff writer Lyndsey Williams at lyjwilli@indiana.edu.