Scottish teacher brings cultural celebration to Chapel Hill students
Morris Grove Elementary students present Scottish song, dance at school assembly
For release: January 22, 2009
Chapel Hill, N.C. – Scottish teacher Amanda Larkins won’t be able to go home to Scotland this week for the country’s customary Burns Night, an annual celebration of lauded poet Robert Burns.
But Larkins won’t miss out. She is holding her Scottish celebration in Chapel Hill this year and sharing it with the students of Morris Grove Elementary School.
The festivities begin at 12:45 p.m. on Friday. Students will don traditional Scottish hats and sashes and will dance, sing Scotland’s unofficial national anthem and learn about the traditional meal Scots typically prepare each Jan. 25 for Burns Night. A bagpiper also will perform and teach the children about the history of the instrument.
Larkins, a third-grade teacher, is visiting the U.S. through the VIF International Education, a cultural exchange program that strives to give all students access to a world-class education. This is her first year at Morris Grove.
By providing students the experience and exposure to other cultures, Larkins and other VIF teachers prepare students to work in and contribute to our global society.
WHO: Amanda Larkins, VIF teacher from Scotland
WHAT: School assemblies on Scottish culture and poet Robert Burns
WHEN: Session One: 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Session Two: 1:40 p.m. to 2:10 p.m.
* The bagpiper will speak about the history of the bagpipes at Session One only.
WHERE: Morris Grove Elementary School, 215 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill
About VIF International Education:
VIF International Education is the largest international-exchange program linking U.S. schools and teachers worldwide. VIF International Education selects, sponsors and supports highly qualified international educators who work as full-time teachers in U.S. schools for up to three years, serving as cultural ambassadors and providing students an international education for success in the global economy. VIF teachers return home from the professional-development experience to contribute to education in their nations and serve as goodwill ambassadors for the United States. Learn more: www.vifprogram.com.
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Contact: Communications
(919) 967-5144
communications@vifprogram.com