In the education area, during the winter of 2009-2010, the Committee co-sponsored with the Development Committee an essay contest for junior and seniors in the areas High Schools on the theme: What could President Medvedev and Barak Obama do together to improve the lives of Americans and Russians. The winning essays argued persuasively for a reduction in nuclear arms and arms control. As their prize for winning the contest, Shenendahoah senior, Rachel Augustine, and Bethlehem High junior Charlotte Storch spent two weeks in Tula as the hosts of Tolstoi Tula State Pediagogical University. (Please see the write-up in the Fall/Winter 2010 ATA Newsletter).
When Sergei Pukhanov, Director of International Relations , Tula State University won a grant from IREX to hold an Olympiad in American Studies, Committee member Mary Emerson took the lead in inviting three teachers from Schenectady High School to prepare reading lists, study questions and test questions on US history and culture for the event. The three teachers then went to Tula in April to meet the student contestants and to participate in the final judging of Olympiad submissions and test papers. (Please see the write-up in the Newsletter). The Education Committee will host the winners of the Olympiad, Evgeniya Istomina, for a short internship in February, 2011.
The Committee has also had its share of exciting cultural activities. The Committee sponsored the travel of the folk dance group that performed at the Russian Winter Festival in February, 2010. Ranging in ages from teenage to mid-forties, the dancers were enchanting in their array of hand sewn period costumes and the precision and grace of their dancing. Not to be too critical, the group gave what may have been its finest performance at the Alliance fundraiser held at Siena College. All fall and winter, Committee member Dawn Weinraub has been hard at work translating a modern Russian musical, Road to Paradise , into English., The original Russian text and music were submitted to the Committee for possible performance by Tula composer and lyricist Vera Trofimova . Thanks to Vera’s CD with the music and Dawn’s wonderful translation, the musical was approved by the Alliance Board for presentation in May 2011 as part of the Alliance’s 20th anniversary celebration. Although we are just in the initial program stages, the Education and Culture Committee has been hard at work with the Development Committee planning the occasion. The College of St. Rose has graciously offered an auditorium for the performance. Dawn is in frequent consultation with Vera Trofimova fine tuning the lyrics. The project is beginning to take on a life all its own . Please see out website for updates on the status of this exciting performance.