Mississippi Children’s Museum Debuts Delta Outreach Programs and Exhibits

Posted by Parents & Kids Staff | Mar 3, 2017

In partnership with the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center (BBKM) and the Sunflower County Consolidated School District (SCCSD), the Mississippi Children’s Museum (MCM) is bringing Planting the Seeds to Succeed to the Mississippi Delta. Planting the Seeds to Succeed outreach is a multi-year, multi-workshop project generously funded through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation designed to improve educational opportunities for elementary students in the Delta.

During the family literacy workshop, twenty-five selected families from SCCSD meet once a week for 7 weeks at BBKM. Each session begins with a healthy family meal followed by engaging activities for the children that focus on improving literacy proficiency. As part of the program, children also interact with a newly created, hands on literacy exhibit called Story to Stage. Designed by MCM’s Education Department, this exhibit and accompanying programming incorporate a variety ofarts-integration, including connections to music and Mississippi heritage, to build a whole learner through inquiry-based learning.

As an additional component to the workshop, parents learn strategies to help their children be successful in school and how to save for college. This includes a session with HOPE Credit Union, whose specialists conduct financial literacy training for parents. HOPE has been a long-time supporter of efforts to empower and financially sustain families in the Delta region. Upon completion of the Planting the Seeds to Succeed’s family literacy program, each child will receive his or her own account with a donated deposit to begin saving for the future.

“I’m excited to see what each week is going to bring,” says BB King Executive Director, Malika Polk-Lee. “The cooperation and participation we have received from the SCCSD administrative staff is great, and to have Miskia Davis, the Interim Superintendent of the SCCSD, join us for the program really shows their interest in making this program successful.”

Beyond fulfilling MCM’s objective to extend educational outreach to the Mississippi Delta, the goal of this collaborative project is to introduce unparalleled experiences to children of SCCSD, develop crucial literacy skills, and ultimately establish a love of learning in all children. To learn more about MCM’s outreach and educational initiatives, visit our website at www.mschildrensmuseum.org.