jtoh brochure

Journey ThroughOur Heritage Metropolitan State University of Denver Chicana/o Studies Department Africana Studies Department

Why should I join Journey Through Our Heritage? Pride JTOH provides a platform to explore and know your individual cultural heritage while instilling pride in the legacy you will carry with you throughout your life. Purpose Through effective and impactful connections and relationships, JTOH provides the ability to work withinculturally diverse communities while building character, tolerance and understanding. PowerJTOH provides the ability to practice effective and activeleadership through community events, organization and field experience. This real-life application will help you be successful as the driving force of change in our ever-changing world

Welcome! (Kitlapalojua) Journey Through Our Heritage (JTOH) is a program designed to create anawareness of culture and a sense of community. Using curriculum that instills confidence, compassion and understanding for all people, we hope to encourage our students to become leaders. Through analytical thinking and creative problem solving we endeavor to develop role models that have a positive impact on the future. Journey Through Our Heritage teams choose a focus area each year that aligns with program goals. Mentors then develop a core curriculum thatutilizes video, teatro, spoken word and music. Journey Through Our Heritage teams then compete in events that help them explore and express that theme. The Journey for the year begins with a Welcome Back ceremony in latefall. This event brings our schools, their families, and our community togetherto learn about what our focus will be for the year. This event allows everyonethe chance to celebrate a new start and meet new people. This event and all others tie into our goal of bringing people together, and helping all to understand and accept cultural differences.In spring the JTOH teams create a student-driven anthology of prose, poetry and original art. This journal is published annually and is a showcase of students artistic and academic accomplishments

JTOH Core Events 2016-2017 Welcome Back Ceremony September 23th, 2016 6:00 - 8:30 P.M. St. Cajetan's @ Auraria Cultural Expressions December 9th, 2016 6:00 - 8:30 P.M. St. Cajetan's @ AurariaPoetry Anthology Submission Deadline February 27th, 2017 Tlatchtli Games April 21th, 2017 6:00 - 8:30 P.M. St. Cajetan's @ Auraria Awards Ceremony May 5th, 2017 5:30 - 8:30 P.M. @ History Colorado Center 1200 Broadway

The Highlight of the JTOH year is the Tlatchli Games This fun-filled odyssey of the mind allows students to utilize their knowledge of the JTOH curriculum in gamesand activities that develop memorization, study skills and strategies necessary for academic success. The JTOH program concludes with the annual Mauricio Saravia Awards Ceremony and barbeque. Trophies are awarded in the following categories: Cultural Expressions, Mural Design Service Learning, Tlatchli Games and Literary Achievement Service Learning ( Due March 30th , 2017) The JTOH students participates with numerous community organizations including the Colorado Folk Arts Council (CFAC), Chicana/o Arts and Humanities Council (CHAC), Sisters of Color United for Education (SOCUE), Pirate Art Gallery and many other partnerships. Each team has the option of choosing their own service learning project. Each Team will be given pointsbased on the concept, design and written synopsis of their project. The teams with the highest points will be awarded a trophy for their efforts and a gift certificate for their schools.

Our Mission: Journey Through Our Heritage strives to promote self empowerment, develops leaders and engages students with their community. All students gain confidence by knowing their individual cultural and historical birth rights. Through rigorous academic study, service learning, STEM projects creative problem solving and healthy competition, we hope to instill a sense of pride for students I n their past as well as their future.Our Goals1. To implement indigenous values, traditions, and practices that buildcharacter. Encourage rigorous interdisciplinary competition designedto challenge and inspire young minds.2. To create a formal connection between MSU Denver students withGED/high school students state wide.3. To collaborate and work with community in building relationshipswith program administrators, community organizations, schools andpotential partners who desire to participate in the program.4. To embrace and promote diversity by broadening participatingteacher’s ability to teach a more culturally inclusive curriculum,facilitate the infusion of cultural and historical contributions of Latinosand other ethnicities and provide avenues for the success of all.All students in order to increase achievement by engaging in culturallyrelevant activities. Dr. Renee Fajardo Department of Chicana/o Studies Campus Box 41 / P.O. Box 173362 Denver, Colorado 80217-3362 Phone: 303-556-3032 Cell: 720-329-0869 Fax: 303-556-3178 E-mail: [email protected] Visit us @ http://www.msudenver.edu/journey