The Renton History Museum has been awarded a $10,000 Heritage Cultural Education grant by 4Culture, the King County arts and heritage funding agency.
This money, along with money from a community grant the museum received from the Sam’s Club Foundation, will pay for the creation of a history trunk and curricular materials called “The Lives of the Coast Salish of Central Puget Sound/Duwamish.”
The program will be available to public and private schools within the Renton School District boundaries in fall 2009.
Museum Volunteer and Education Coordinator Dorota Rahn will lead a team of consultants who will develop materials and activities for third graders. Consultants include Renton School District third-grade teachers Cindy Pickens and Carolyn Stephens, retired educator Carol Hawkins, Renton School District Native American adviser Earline Bala and Native American storyteller and artist Roger Fernandes.
Along with activities, print materials and a PowerPoint presentation, the curriculum will include a history trunk with hands-on objects created by Duwamish artists Mary Lou Slaughter and Michael Halady.
“This project is part of the museum’s efforts to ensure that children understand all aspects of Renton’s history,” Rahn wrote in a press release. “The kids love the chance to touch and analyze original objects exemplifying Native American culture.”
Rahn says although many children are familiar with the history of Native Americans from the country’s plains areas, they are unfamiliar with the history of tribes from the Renton area.
The curriculum will be tested in thirdgrade classrooms next spring, Rahn says.
Visitors to the museum’s Renton River Days booth caught a sneak peek of the new curriculum. Visitors made Coast-Salish-style hats and vests, using brown paper as a substitute for the traditional cedar wood.
Renton businesses
on ‘recycling’ list
King County’s Solid Waste Division has named three Renton businesses to its second-annual “Best Workplaces for Recycling” list. Those businesses — American Classic Homes Real Estate, IKEA, and TOPICS Entertainment — join the list’s 50 local companies, which is more than twice as many companies as last year.
These businesses are being recognized for strong internal recycling programs and for their commitment to making recycling a priority for their companies.
McLendon Hardware
plans food drive
McLendon Hardware is holding a food drive Aug. 16-17 for a Renton Rotary Salvation Army Food Bank.
Donors can drop off food or cash donations Saturday, Aug. 16, from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m., or Sunday, Aug. 17, from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. McLendon’s is at 440 Rainier Ave S. Call 425-235-3555.
