The Kentucky Community Scholars ProgramJunior Community ScholarsSuggestions for Students Interested in becoming Community ScholarsA community scholar is a person who learns about his or her own family and community traditions, documents those traditions and the people who practice the traditions, and presents the traditions to the public. What kinds of traditions are there? Brainstorm a few:1. Name a craft that is traditional in your family or community. (like quilting or woodworking) Who do you know that practices this tradition? 2. Name an occupation that is traditional in your family or community. Who do you know who has this occupation? (like farmer or miner) 3. Name a form of entertainment (music, storytelling, etc.) that is a tradition in your family or community. Who do you know that practices this tradition? 4. Name a food (made from scratch) that is traditional in your family or community. Who do you know that makes this food? 5. Name a recreational tradition (game or hobby) that is part of a family or community tradition. Who do you know that practices this tradition? 6. Every family has its own traditions (things they do over and over). Some family traditions are special ways of celebrating holidays, names or nicknames, things you do together for fun, special events that your family celebrates (such as a family reunion), songs, stories or games that you share, etc. Describe a tradition in your family. How do you document someone who practices a tradition?1. Interview them and find out how they do what they do, how they learned to do it, where, when, and why they do it. Tape record or videotape the interview or take careful written notes. 2. Take photos that tell the story of their tradition and illustrate the how-to steps of the activity. 3. Complete an “Information Sheet” about the person. How can you help to present a tradition?1. Make a display board with the photos you took and text explaining the tradition and telling about the person you interviewed. 2. Write a story about the person you interviewed and their tradition. 3. Arrange for the person to do a demonstration or a performance at a festival and assist them as they tell the public about their tradition. You might assist as an apprentice or as an interpreter. An apprentice is someone who is learning a skill from an expert, so an apprentice helps with the hands-on demonstration, performance, or teaching. An interpreter is someone who helps to explain something, so an interpreter explains to the public what the person is demonstrating.
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