Office for Justice and Peace
Issues and Advocacy - KINGDOM FAIR 98
Submitted by: Anne Herrick - Marymount High SchoolKingdom Fair is an opportunity for you to synthesize and celebrate much of what you have learned in social justice. It also is a research project that allows you to learn more about a social justice issue and an organization that is addressing that issue, as well as gain some experience in what is actually like to advocate for a cause and try to build the kingdom of God. You also will be able to educate others about your issue and organization at the Kingdom Fair assembly, which will be held this school year on JANUARY 9, 1998.
The theme for this year?s Kingdom Fair is "Everyone, Everywhere: Works of Love are Works of Peace" in honor of Mother Teresa.
Here?s what you need to do for your Kingdom Fair Projects. If you follow these instructions and steps, you should find that this project is very manageable within the time frame given.
- Choose a Partner with whom you can work well, will be able to contact easily, and who you feel you can "lovingly confront" in case there are problems. You may choose any junior from within your teacher?s class(es). You and your partner each get the same grade no matter who does what so choose a partner who you believe will have a "sharing" attitude towards all work.
- Choose an organization that is an advocate for a social justice cause (i.e. human rights, addressing racism, sexism or discrimination, homelessness, the environment, etc.) Thus, the organization needs to not just do good work on behalf of the cause, it also needs to work to promote social change for that cause. Each organization should only be represented once. You can sign up for your organization outside on the sign-up sheets outside the theology office, and must sign-up for your organization no later than October 8.
- VOLUNTEER TIME: You and your partner need to volunteer at least 10 documented hours total (for example, ten hours of working together, or five hours each of volunteering if working separately) on behalf of the organization. If your organization is local, it would be ideal if you could participate in one of their activities or volunteer at their office. If the organization is not locally based, you can still do work for them by writing letters, publicizing their cause or issue, researching, interviewing, etc.
- LOG. You and your partner are required to make at least 2 entries per week indicating what you are doing in regards to your project: information gathering, volunteer work, research, designing the display, etc. At the end of the project, each partner will be asked to turn in an individual reflection of the experience/organization.
- . RESEARCH: Your Kingdom Fair Project will include a Research Paper
(3-5 pages, typed, doubled spaced with a cover page and a works-cited
page). This paper will be a compilation of your research and must include
the following:
- Definition of your cause or issue related to your organization?s focus.
- Researched information (statistics, quotes from various sources, context) about the cause or issue demonstrating clearly why this issue is an urgent matter of social justice.
- Research and clear explanation of your organization and how it deals with this issue. Explanation of how this organization is helping to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth.
- Teachings from the Catholic Church?s social justice tradition that relate to your issue. You must use a Pastoral Letter or Church Encyclical.
- Proposed solutions to your issue, and a statement of which you agree with. You also should submit TWO ARTICLES you culled from your research and include them in the back of your paper.
- Works Cited of all research material.
- You should bind your Research paper together into a clasped folder or binder with a cover. YOU MUST HAVE TWO COPIES OF YOUR PAPER, ONE TO HAND IN TO YOUR TEACHER AND ONE FOR DISPLAY AT THE KINGDOM FAIR.
- THIS YEAR, THERE WILL BE A PARENTS? NIGHT ON JANUARY 8 WHERE WE INVITE ALL PARENTS TO COME AND SEE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. IT IS MANDATORY FOR ALL JUNIORS TO ATTEND AND PRESENT THEIR RESEARCH AND DISPLAYS.
- DISPLAYS: Your displays need to be set up by 5 pm on the day of
the Parents night, January 8. Kingdom Fair is held in the school Pavillion.
If you plan on using any special equipment for your display, you should
provide it yourself. Your kingdom fair display will share half a table
with another group. The following are requirements and suggestions
for your display:
- Your display should be clear and informative and represent the organization you have chosen
- Your display should have at least one scripture quote and one quote from church teachings.
- Your research paper should be at the display.
- You should be informed enough to give a brief explanation of your group for all visitors to your table.
- The display should be interactive in some way, i.e. a game, or activity that will interest your visitors and help them learn about your cause.
- The display should have facts and statistics not only about your organization but also about the overall issue your organization is addressing.
- The display should be creatively and celebratively presented.
- You may have giveaway snacks or treats at your table, but they must be relevant to your organization/issue and not a violation of social justice principles in themselves. You must also be responsible for cleaning your display area.
- Try to be ecologically conscious in preparing your display and use recycled materials if possible.
- PROCESS DATES: The following is a list of due dates for your kingdom
fair project. If you adhere to these dates, not only will you earn
the necessary points but also find that the workload is much more manageable.
- Thursday Sept. 25?Choice of Partners is registered 5 pts.
- Wed. October 8-?Choice of Organization is registered 5 pts.
- Thurs. Oct. 16?Research on topic is turned in 10 pts.
- Tues. Nov. 4?Research on church document is turned in 10 pts.
- Fri. Nov. 7?Thesis statement due 10 pts.
- Thurs. Dec. 4?Rough Draft of Paper is due for Peer Edit 10 pts.
- Tues. Dec. 16?Final Paper is due. Paper is worth 75 pts.
- Mon. Jan 5?Service hour forms are due. Pass/Fail
- Jan. 8?Set up Display for Kingdom Fair/Parents Night
- Jan. 9?School Kingdom Fair (Displays and Presentations are worth 50 pts. Total)
- Jan. 16?Final Log entry reflections due
- Thanks for all your hard work. Your kingdom Fair will be great!
KINGDOM FAIR ORGANIZATION SUGGESTION LIST
The following is a list of only a few organizations you may want to consider for your Kingdom Fair Project. We emphasize that this is only a representative sample, and that there are many other organizations you can research and choose from on your own. Please check with your teacher if you have any question at all about your choices; your teachers also reserve the right of approval on all organization choices. Because of the lack of funding so many of these groups have to deal with, it?s possible that the number listed below has been changed or discontinued, or that the organization has had to move offices, or that staff is very limited and may not return your call the same day. Be persistent, but if you find that your organization is not being as helpful as you need it to be for this project, change your organization. For your benefit, then, start working on this as soon as possible so you don?t have any surprises late in the process.- The LA Catholic Worker?advocates for the homeless and peace and justice issues, runs meal kitchen downtown, 213.267.8789.
- Pax Christi?This is the National Catholic Peace movement, which advocates nonviolence and rejects war. It has an online website and local chapters. National office is in Pennsylvania and # is 814.453.4955 or on the web at http://www.nonviolence.org./pcusa/
- International Society for the Preservation of the Rainforest--Sherman Oaks office is 818.788.2002.
- Los Angeles Student Coalition: An action-based student organization rooted in the principles of youth empowerment as a catalyst for social change. 213.250.5000.
- Santa Monica AIDS Project: 310.917.6699. Involved in training students to teach about HIV/AIDS, giving services to local clients with AIDS.
- Interfaith Hunger Coalition: 213.913.7333 Fax 213.664.1725. Works to alleviate and end hunger.
- FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting): national media watch-group focusing on biases in press regarding insensitivity to the poor, women, labor, minorities, etc. 310.826-2995.
- Citizens for the West LA Veloway: 310.824.9931. Mission is to educate people about the practicality and environmental benefits of using bicycles as urban transportation and who want to build an elevated bikeway which will carry people over traffic.
- California Communities against Toxics: 310.287.2210.
- Americans for a Safe Future: 310.451.7413. Organized by citizens concerned about local nuclear waste facilities.
- Physicians for Social Responsibility: 310.458.2695. National mission is involved in nuclear disarmament and education and environmental protection.
- Mothers of East LA: 213.269.9898. Organizes and empowers women to take back their community for their children and make it safe from violence, hunger and environmental dangers.
- Habitat for Humanity: 213.386.9930. Dedicated to developing low-income housing and eliminating poverty housing.
- Friends of the Dunes: 310.821.1300. Dedicated to preserving the El Segundo Sand dunes near LAX.
- Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team: addresses specific needs of working with the Asian Pacific American community in terms of HIV/AIDS 213.353.6014.
- Children Helping Poor and Homeless People: Based in Venice 310.840.4777.
- Campaign for Human Development: Program of the United States Catholic bishops dedicated to addressing the root causes of poverty in America, United States Catholic Conference, 3211 Fourth St. NE, Washington, DC 20017-1194. (Locally, the Office of Justice and Peace, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, 213-637-7560.)
- UNITE: 213.239.6520. Organization that deals with the rights of local garment industry workers.
- Volunteer Center of Los Angeles: 213.484.2849.
- Citizens for a Better Environment: 310.450.5192.
- LIFE (Love is Feeding Everyone): Hunger relief and solutions Organization 213.936.0895.
- Amnesty International
- United Farm Workers
- Rigoberta Menchu Foundation
- UNICEF
- PEP LA Peers Educating Peers about AIDS
- Coalition Against the Death Penalty
- Handgun Control
- Venice Arts Mecca
- HOLA?after school arts programs for inner city youth
- CHIRLA?about immigration issues
- SCITCA?Interfaith task force on Central America issues
- El Rescate?excellent organization that deals with assisting immigrants
- Seeds, Inc.?organization to help develop businesses in low-income areas
- Vegetarian Society California Certified Organic Farmers
- Earth Share of California?helps promote about 70 environmental organizations in LA area
- Heal the Bay
- PAWS?assisting HIV patients with their pets
- California Women in Environmental Design
- Womens Link
- Prototypes
- The LA Peace Directory on reserve in Theology Office t
- he Green Pages on reserve in Theology Office
- The Archdiocesan Office of Justice & Peace in Los Angeles (213) 637-7550 or on the internet at http://www.la-archdiocese.org
- Midnight Special Bookstore on the 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica
- the internet (by typing in "social justice" or the specific topic you are interested in for example "racism" "sexism" etc).
- The free newspaper, available at many coffeehouses and bookstores, called CHANGELINKS talking to your parents and friends
- contacting similar organizations and asking for ideas or references
- the part of the LA Times found in the Life and Style section called "Volunteer Opportunities"
- The LA Weekly in the section on involvement opportunities or politics/social action
