Congratulations to all the folks who have worked with us on Folkstreams.net especially for this award, Paddy Bowman and Tom Davenport for their work on Educators and Generations Portals for Folkstreams.

Dorothy Howard Folklore and Education Prize

Dorothy Howard (1902-1996) grew up in the Progressive Era, receiving a teaching degree from the North Texas Normal College (now the University of North Texas ) in 1923. During her career as a teacher and principal in Texas, New York, and New Jersey, Howard integrated folklore into her curriculum by having students collect and study playground chants and jingles as a way of introducing them to poetry; research their names and their meanings to study spelling; and write about such traditions as ravioli making to develop their writing skills. Howard’s interest in children’s folklore and education enabled her to bridge a gap between the Victorian “armchair” study of children’s culture with the field-based studies we conduct today. In 1938 she received her doctorate in education with a study of games that combined these two styles of study. Her pioneering work shows us that folklore can be used in the curriculum in a way that is rich and meaningful. The Dorothy Howard Prize honors both Howard and those who have followed her lead in folklore and education.

The prize competition is open to all individuals and organizations whose work effectively encourages K-12 educators or students to use or study folklore and folkloristic approaches in all educational environments. Such works include but are not limited to curriculum materials, publications, audio and video recordings, multimedia publications, and exhibits. Work produced in the two calendar years prior to the annual AFS meeting is eligible for consideration.

Nominations should identify the author(s) or creator(s), publisher, date of publication, and describe why the nomination deserves consideration. Statements should not exceed three double-spaced pages. Entries must have been published within the past two years. Anyone may nominate work by submitting three copies of materials, or in the case of non-print work, three copies of detailed descriptions and any relevant supporting materials to the address below. In the case of particularly extensive or expensive materials (e.g., multimedia kits), a single copy may be submitted, but please still include three copies of the nominating statement/description.

Submissions will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

• Does the product add significantly to the body of folklore and education literature or resources?
• Is the material appropriate for intended age groups and subject focus?
• Do the materials have the potential to engage their intended audience fully?

Please send submissions to Luc D. Guglielmi, Department of Foreign Languages, Kennesaw State University, 142 Pilcher, 1000 Chastain Road, Kennesaw GA 30144-5591. The prize amount is $100, and the next deadline for submissions is August 1, 2009. The recipient of the Dorothy Howard Prize will be announced during the annual Folklore and Education section meeting during the American Folklore Society conference each October.

2008 Recipient

The 2008 committee is pleased to announce this year’s award recipient is the website Folkstreams. This site is a powerful resource with national and international appeal and potential for use. This easy to navigate site currently provides 106 documentary films which represent a wide slice of the American experience and provides a valuable learning tool for educators, students, folklorists, cultural studies specialists, film studies students, and the general public. Folkstreams.net provides information on filmmakers, blog opportunities, ways to access links, copyright information, links by subject and region and a guide to best practices in film digitization. There are both educator and generations portals which have links to excellent discussion questions, a range of related activities that incorporate several learning styles and suggested activities which promote critical inquiry, student application of the ideas and techniques for students’ own community research.