Newark is celebrating its 350th Anniversary in 2016!

How do you get involved?If you’re a student who attends a school in Newark, we would like you to create an original written work, performance or visual representation celebrating “Here’s What’s Good About Newark!” This assignment can be submitted by an individual student, student pairs or collaborative student groups. The criteria utilized to review these assignments will be originality, creativity, craftsmanship, and delivery of the theme, “Here’s What’s Good About Newark!”

What are the themes you should consider?The focus of the theme can be a single person, place or thing; a single category or concept; a group of people, places or things; or any imaginative and creative point of view highlighting “Here’s What’s Good About Newark!” The themes can include but are not limited to:

Neighborhoods - Wards, community centers, churches and other places of worship, neighborhood groups and organizations, community celebrations, people in the community, famous people from the community, school and local sport teams, cultural history, local places to eat, public sector (fire, police, neighborhood services) etc.

Points of Interest & Landmarks - Buildings, schools, churches, parks, statues, transportation, public art, museums, galleries, research centers, broadcast institutions, historical landmarks, performance and sports venues, restaurants, businesses, etc.

Arts and Culture – Cultural Institutions, music, food, inventors and inventions, festivals, parades, etc.

What do you need to do? How do you complete this task? What is the submission format?Please select one of these three categories and follow the directions. Make sure to include your first and last name, school, homeroom teacher’s name, homeroom number, and grade.

1. Celebrating Newark through Writing by completing a narrative, letter, short story, skit, poem, biography, tour script (cultural, neighborhood, historical), song, rap, etc. Directions for Submission in writing- Word document or hand written between 1 to 5 pages.

2. Celebrating Newark through Media & Performance by creating a short film, documentary, skit, commercial, monologue, spoken word, poetry reading, dance, vocal performance, instrumental performance, tours, promotional piece, combination of any of the above, etc.

Directions for Submission through media and performance- Record your short film, documentary, skit, commercial, etc. using any smart phone (iPhone, Android, etc.), digital camera, video camera, tablet (iPad, Android, etc.), or other electronic device (note: the video should be no longer than 3 minutes). Upload your video to YouTube (insure your video settings are public). Provide the link of this video to your homeroom teacher or follow the directions at your school.

3. Celebrating Newark through Visual Arts by creating a two or three dimensional art project. The two dimensional project can include a drawing, painting, collage, photo montage, photography, billboard, slogan or mixed media. The three dimensional project can include objects, foam core, cardboard, plaster or paper mache.

Directions for Submission of a two dimensional art project- Maximum size is 18” x 24”

Directions for Submission of a three dimensional art project - Maximum Dimensions are 18” x 18” x 24”

When is the Submission Deadline for your project?This project is due to your homeroom teacher on Monday, April 4, 2016. Please make sure that you receive parent or guardian approval before you begin this project.