College to collaborate with schools on educational programs DANVILLE, KY - Centre College students will be joined by elementary, middle and high school students when the Danville area begins fall preparations for the vice presidential debate to be held on the Centre campus. In a press conference held today at Centre, students ranging from second grade through high school announced plans for such activities as an interactive museum and a concert of patriotic music. One elementary school plans to build a giant paper mache elephant and a donkey to grace its school lawn, while a high school will gives its seniors a chance to become registered voters and practice using a voting machine. Milton Reigelman, a Centre English professor who chairs a debate committee on educational outreach, said at today's press conference that the college's highest priority for the debate is to generate educational experiences. "Our intent, from the beginning," Reigelman said, "was to bring the debate to Centre so our students could witness electoral politics up close. Many of the local public schools stepped forward to enthusiastically endorse our application, and we realized that they shared our vision. Now that we have secured the debate, we have begun the process of planning activities that will bring it alive at every grade level." The press briefing included announcements of debate-related educational activities planned by Centre, the Danville Independent Schools, the Boyle County Schools and Kentucky School for the Deaf. A sampling of activities: Centre College · Classic film series on debate or election themes. · Arthur Schlesinger Jr. to lecture on campus (Sept. 25). · Norton Center for the Arts is open for tours of set construction (Oct. 2-4). · Free seminars on debate day on election topics · Dramatic characterization of Frederick Douglass · Enactment of a Lincoln-Douglas debate. Danville Independent Schools · Student political campaign (Hogsett Elementary School) · Concert of patriotic music (Jennie Rogers Elementary School ) · Make giant paper mache elephant and donkey for front lawn (Toliver Elementary School) · Student-produced public service ads (Bate Middle School) · Interactive museum - "Americana: A Salute to Uncle Sam" (Danville High School ) Boyle County Schools · Living history display (Woodlawn Elementary School) · Students in authentic costumes demonstrating 19th-century toys and games manufactured by the 1860's Reproductions Company, a student business devised to teach economics, mathematics, marketing and history (Perryville Elementary School) · Parade float (Boyle County Middle School) · Register seniors to vote and orient them to voting machines (Boyle County High School ) Kentucky School for the Deaf · Leadership training program for deaf and hard-of-hearing high school students · Student government debate culminating in elections the week of the debate · Tours of deaf education museum housed in Jacobs Hall. · Sponsorship of sign-language interpreters for debate media hall. - end - Contacts for this story: Centre College: Milton Reigelman, 859-238-5287. Email: reigelma@centre.edu Danville Independent Schools: David Davis, 859-238-1300. DDavis@danville.k12.ky.us Boyle County Schools: Paul Elwyn, 859-236-5047. Kentucky School for the Deaf: Artie Grassman, 859-239-7017, ext. 2002. [RELEASED: May 24, 2000] Communications Office Centre College 600 W. Walnut Street Danville, KY 40422 Public information coordinator: Patsi Barnes Trollinger Telephone 859-238-5719 - trllngrp@centre.edu News and Events Home Page