Community people of all ages are invited to come together for a week-long celebration and exploration of education and learning during the annual Festival of Creativity Oct. 22 to 26.
The week’s events are sponsored by Schowalter Villa, Hesston Intergenerational Child Care, the Hesston Area Senior Center, Hesston College and U.S.D. 460. All events are free and open to the public.
The week’s focus is on changing educational philosophies methods and technologies between 1850 and today. Events and presentations will cover all aspects of education from classroom teaching and learning styles to traditions, practices, food and dress.
“We live in such a dynamic community where people across generations at Schowalter Villa, Hesston College and the child care center are all in close proximity to one another and connected by the Journey of Life Walk Way,” said Schowalter Villa Director of Volunteer Services Megan Kelley. “We are fortunate that we can celebrate those relationships and learn from one another with this event.”
The week will begin at 10 a.m., Oct. 22, with a parade displaying fashions from 1860 to 1912. Villa residents and Hesston College students will model clothing typical of the time period as they proceed down the Journey of Life Walk Way connecting the campuses.
At 1 p.m., Oct. 22 Beverly Baumgartner will present “Education: Rethinking Everything,” in the Hesston College Smith Center, room 15.
Jim Yoder, Hesston College chemistry instructor, will lead opening exercises and a simulated classroom experience typical of a given time period including a thought for the day, the Lord’s Prayer, Bible verses and the Pledge of Allegiance at 10 a.m. on Oct. 23 and 24.
At 3 p.m., Oct. 23, college students and Villa residents will participate in a Spelling Bee competition in the Schowalter Villa chapel.
At 7 p.m., Oct. 24, Hesston College faculty member and artist in residence Tony Brown will lead community-wide singing of American folk songs at Schowalter Villa.
Following Opening Exercises on Oct. 24, a traditional school lunch will be served at the Hesston Area Senior Center. The meal is free, but reservations are required. Email dwightr@hesston.edu to make reservations.
Senior citizens will share their stories from their elementary school days at 9 a.m., Oct. 25 at the Hesston Area Senior Center.
The concluding event will be from 1 to 3 p.m., Oct. 26 at the Hesston Area Senior Center when Jack Hobbs, Cecil Banning and Gary Price will present “The Development of Computerized/Electronic Education in the Hesston Public School System.” Hobbs will introduce the session including his thoughts on “From the One-room School to the World Wide Web.”
Museum displays with school items over the years will be set up at both Schowalter Villa and the Hesston Area Senior Center throughout the week.
Go to svilla.org for more information.
“The Hesston community as a whole is supportive of the projects and events that happen within different organizations throughout the community, and we hope people of all ages will take part in this celebration of education,” said Kelley.