ePals Corporation today announced the launch of its inaugural Junior Folklorist Challenge in partnership with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
Open to kids eight to 18, the challenge asks participants to examine a local or regional tradition through the eyes of a community tradition bearer and create a video, podcast or slide show to share the story. Cultural traditions students might explore range from dance, games and handicrafts to cooking, storytelling, customs, distinctive jobs, and more.
Participants also have access to Smithsonian professional folklorists. Accompanying teacher or parent materials include lesson plans, global collaboration opportunities, a standards-alignment chart and scoring rubric.
The challenge deadline is May 26, 2014, with winners chosen by a panel of Smithsonian and ePals judges. Among the prizes for student winners whose entries best demonstrate the folklorist process of investigation and reporting are a publishing opportunity in ePals Media's Faces magazine, digital video cameras, box sets from the Smithsonian Folkways collection, and more. For details and a submission form, visit: www.epals.com/challenges/folklife2014/.
