Beginning June 30, 2008, fifty local students in grades K-12 will have the opportunity to participate in Kalamazoo's first Freedom School.  Born out of the Civil Rights movement, the Children's Defense Fund Freedom School program features a curriculum for reading enrichment, youth leadership development, cultural enrichment, parent empowerment, civic engagement, and social action. 

This 5-week program is staffed with eleven servant leaders.  Six of them are college-age individuals, and the other five are in high school or recently graduated from high school this spring.  The day begins with breakfast, followed by group time called "harambee," a Swahili word that means "let's pull together."  The rest of the morning is devoted to an integrated reading curriculum.  After lunch, the rest of the day is spent on a locally-developed curriculum that encourages exploration of individuality and social justice using a hip-hop cultural medium that explores dance, DJing, and other artistic activities.  Field trips to the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and the Kalamazoo Nature Center are also planned.  The program is free of charge to its participants. 

Members of the community who are intersted in helping can

• donate books for scholars
• make a financial gift (checks made payable to KCIS, memo:  Freedom School)
• volunteer as community readers or in other positions

Interested individuals can contact Demarra at (269) 337-1601, x210 or at change.agent.consulting@gmail.com

Kalamazoo Communities In Schools is the fiduciary for the Kalamazoo Freedom School program.