|
As public school students approach
the 21st Century it is imperative that they are motivated to
learn as much as they can about mathematics and the sciences.
Elementary to senior high school youngsters in Northwest
Philadelphia and beyond are receiving a stimulating academic
boost outside the classroom from the special assembly programs
by Grand Hank Productions.
The program which uses a multi-media approach to get the
students to sing, rap, and play games involving mathematics,
science and technology will be coming to many of the local
schools during African American History month.
Next Wednesday, Feb. 14, the special assembly will be
presented to the students at the Martin Luther King High School.
Then it’s off to King’s cluster elementary schools including
Prince Hall on Thursday, Feb. 15, Kinsey in West Oak Lane on
Friday, Feb. 25, and Pennypacker the following Friday.
The assembly series has already been successful at the F. S.
Edmonds and Emlen Elementary School in Mount Airy, as well as
the A. B. Day Elementary School, John E. Hill Middle School and
the Roosevelt Middle School in East Germantown.
“Our message is that no matter where you come from you can
still learn to increase your knowledge and enthusiasm about
education, especially math and technology,” said Richard Cosom
of Grand Hank Productions, a husband and father who resides in
East Mount Airy.
“Many times all the students know is just
what they learn in schools and maybe they listen to the rap or
hip hop music on the radio. We are here to counteract the music,
sometimes the negative music, by using positive music to
encourage them to learn about the African American scientists
and inventors and know that they, too, can be hyped by
education,” he said.
One of the songs the group presents to the pupils is entitled
“Education is Hype.” The song was written by 29-year old
scientist known as “Grand Hank” who has a bachelor’s
degree in science from the
|
University of Pittsburgh and is
employed at a leading area pharmaceutical company. The program
has even received sponsorship from Bell Atlantic, R. W. Johnson
and Arthur McNeil Pharmaceuticals, the Philadelphia Housing
Authority, area hospitals and more recently, the Oak Tree Health
Plan.
“We believe that it is important to try new and different
ways to reach our young people. We know that classroom education
is important, but not every student is going to be reached in
the classroom. That’s why during the show we will let the
students know there is Charles Drew and other African Americans
who have done things in the sciences. They learn it in a fun way
and it does make a lasting impression on many of the kids,”
said Cosom.
When the assembly is presented at each school the students
are then left with special workbooks which they can complete in
their respective classrooms or at home, with or without the
assistance of their parents. They have workbooks devised for the
elementary, middle and secondary school levels. “Even though
we want the children to get into math or science, the program is
really about saying that education is important. We even talk
about the relationship between education and success. We talk
about how time management is important to succeeding in school
and later when you go to work. We talk about students paying
attention to their math and science in school even though they
don’t want to be scientists or something like that,” said
Cosom.
“What we want to leave the students with is that education
is power. We want to work with the schools not against it. So
far we have had a very good response from the students and the
teachers. I think they get the message.”
|
Grand
Hank Productions Incorporated © 2003
