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Bright Light Challenge for Religious Educators
Download a flyer to learn more about the Bright Light Challenge
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Creating Teachable Moments with Human Rights
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an inspiring and visionary document that encompasses the highest aspirations of the global community for creating freedom, justice, and peace in the world.
To celebrate its tremendous contributions to the work of UUSC and the larger world, UUSC is holding a Bright Light Challenge for religious educators to encourage them to explore and teach the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and its enduring relevance to the international movement for human rights, in their congregations and communities.
What?
On December 10, 1948,
when the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the General Assembly called
on all member countries "to cause [the declaration] to be disseminated, displayed,
read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions."
This year, UUSC invites you, as a religious educator, to participate in this
ongoing effort.
For the Bright Light Challenge, UUSC is seeking fun, creative, and interactive ideas from religious educators for how communities can celebrate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and its connections to UUSC's work.
Religious educators can submit their ideas in the form of a plan for a "learning experience" — which could be a worship service, a religious education lesson or series of lessons, a family activities night, a social action project, an online activity, an art project, or anything else you may envision that would bring a multigenerational community together to learn about human rights, UDHR, and UUSC.
How?
UUSC
will post all entries (anonymously) on its website so that everyone in the UU religious
education community, and beyond, can try them out, free of charge. The only
thing that we ask is that if you do try one yourself and post your comments about
how it went. These comments will be reviewed as part of the judging criteria.
When?
The
contest will run from 9:00
a.m. EST on October 24, 2008,
until 4:59 p.m. EST
on April
30, 2009. Please note that the earlier you send
in your contest entry, the more opportunities there will be for others to test
your activity and post comments.
And then?
In
May 2009 a panel composed of two UUSC staff persons and one professional
religious educator will review the submissions and comments. Together, they will
select three winning entries. The three winners will receive a $500 scholarship
(to be awarded at General Assembly 2009) to be used toward the costs of any UUSC-
or LREDA-sponsored activity or event.
Contest Guidelines
I. REQUIRED ELEMENTS
Learning or experiential objectives (what you want participants to take away with them).
A clear description of the "learning experience" itself, including the time you expect it to take, the room or space requirements (or the hardware/software requirements if it is an online activity), a list of materials needed, sources (preferably free and online) for any music or readings required, and a timeline breakdown of the experience itself.
Your experience should explore UDHR through the work of UUSC, especially UUSC's mission, vision, or one or more of the four program focus areas:
A leaders' guide that includes the ideal characteristics of activity leaders (e.g., age, life experience, any special skills, etc.), background materials for leaders, perhaps a spiritual centering activity for leaders and/or a way to debrief after the experience, and a detailed explanation of how to implement the experience.
Specification of the age ranges you think your experience is suitable for, and suggestions about how to adapt it for other ages, if appropriate. You may design the activity exclusively for one age range, if you choose, or make it multigenerational. You should include a few sentences about the developmental characteristics (both emotional/psychological and faith development) of your targeted age range, and how your activity is appropriate for them.
A bibliography. If you use any stories, poetry, pictures, or music that are not your own original creation, you must give full references. If you use an activity from a previously published source (like a curriculum or worship guide), please acknowledge it and, in certain cases, get permission first.
II. JUDGING CRITERIA
1. How well does the "learning experience" incorporate UUSC's mission and/or program focus areas?
2. Is the plan viable and usable by religious educators, and other UUSC members and supporters, in the UU community and beyond?
3. How creative and thoughtful are the plan's objectives?
4. What did other religious educators who tried the plan have to say?
III. SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES
Send your submission electronically in a Microsoft Word file to UUSC at awards(at)uusc(dot)org no later than 4:59 p.m. (E.T.) on April 30, 2009. Please note that the earlier you send in your contest entry, the more opportunities there will be for others to test your activity and post comments.
IV. OWNERSHIP/USE RIGHTS
UUSC reserves the right to publish your lesson plan. All entries may be used in UUSC's online and print publications. Submitted materials will not be returned. Please do not send your only copy of your lesson plan or lesson materials.
V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
UUSC would like to thank Ruth Owen, Director of Religious Education at First Church in Boston, for her indispensable help in developing this contest and writing its guidelines.
VI. QUESTIONS
Questions? Please ask questions using the e-mail contact form below.
E-mail:
Email Contact Form
