From left: Ana Marcela Goeller, Amy Shannon, JB Gontier, Talia Macbeth, and Marie Critchfield
The Center for Applied Anthropology staff and volunteers are bringing an education in anthropology to local schools with the goal of spreading awareness about the discipline, careers in social sciences, and the valuable insights that can be gained through the study of humanity.
CAA staff and volunteers have recently brought this Community Outreach Program in Anthropology with interactive presentation and educational activities to Adelante Dual Language Academy, as well as Gabriela Mistral Elementary School.
The students were engaged and enthusiastic, asking us questions beyond the activities at hand, showing us that there is a demand for this type of knowledge that is currently missing from school curriculums.
We hope to spread this program to other schools in the area, creating an interest in anthropology and other social sciences in a society that values careers in STEM over the valuable insights that can be provided by social scientists.
A lecture on primate evolution using resin skulls, introducing physical anthropology
And a simulation excavation with artifact analysis, illustrating archaeology
A Rosetta Stone type puzzle, illustrating the fieldwork of linguistic anthropology
A weaving activity connecting material culture to traditions as studied in cultural anthropology
– Isaac, 6th grade student