MOBILE, Ala. – On August 3, 2018, Governor Kay Ivey announced that The Museum School at Mobile Museum of Art has been selected as an official Alabama Bicentennial School in a ceremony in the Old House Chamber of the State Capitol. The Museum School is one of 200 schools selected to receive this special designation and receive a grant to fund a community project developed by the school.
Launched by Governor Ivey in December 2017, the Alabama Bicentennial Schools Initiative encourages all public, private, and homeschool students and teachers to participate in the celebration of Alabama’s 200th anniversary of statehood in 2019. In early 2018, all K-12 schools in Alabama were invited to submit a proposal that engages in outreach and improvement projects to connect their classrooms with their local communities.
From a competitive pool of nearly 400 proposals, 200 schools were selected to be official Alabama Bicentennial Schools and receive $2,000 grants to support the implementation of their projects. Additionally, 56 schools received honorable mentions and $500 grants. Schools were chosen through a review process involving committees of local educators, community leaders, and private citizens.
Representing all corners of the state, the selected schools have developed a wide variety of projects that will make meaningful contributions to their local communities.
The Museum School’s project is Recycled and Upcycled Mobile, which will be completed by first and second semester home school classes starting August 22nd at MMofA. The goal of this project is to create community and civic engagement by partnering with the City of Mobile, Mobile Baykeeper, and local artists to create art out of recycled material.
“The Bicentennial Schools Initiative is not only a special way for students to take part in celebrating our 200 years of statehood, but also an opportunity for them to engage within their communities. It fosters a love for the state they call home, and it instills in them the courage to make a difference,” said Governor Ivey.
“We at The Museum School at Mobile Museum of Art are very excited about engaging our home schooled students in a 2018-2019 curricula that includes not only creative and educational art programs, but also hands-on, environmental awareness activities involving personal interaction with City of Mobile officials, environmental groups and local artists,” said Curator of Children’s Education, Kim Wood. “ The Museum School is grateful to Governor Ivey and the Bicentennial Commission for giving our students the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to our community through our project, ‘Recycled and Upcycled Mobile.’”
The Alabama Bicentennial Schools Initiative is presented in partnership by Alabama 200, the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH), and the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE).
For a complete list of official Bicentennial Schools or for more information, visit www.alabama200.org.
