Democracy, Journalism and the Informed Citizen

Certainty

Educator Georgina Grenier received a grant from the Maine Humanities Council called Democracy, Journalism and the Informed Citizen. She is the gifted and talented (GT) teacher in MSAD17 and her teaching includes students identified in visual art, grades K-6. Georgina will be creating multiple books that will be a compilation of writing and images about decision making and is entitled “Certainty”. This project is open to writers and artists representing students and adults who feel strongly about this topic. Do you know seniors who need service learning credits, AP English and/or thoughtful students who might write?

Georgina is using the issue of how we make decisions as an entry point to discussion about how we maintain a civil society that can respect all its occupants. Georgina says: “As you may have noticed, facts and fake-facts are at odds with each other, all occurring  while we have giant social and environmental problems to fix, but often cannot get past arguing about whether we actually have problems and decide what to do”.

You are invited to participate in a community-wide writing and image making project about decision-making. Submit your writing and/or artwork about a decision you made, or share your perspectives about your process of decision-making. Consider… writing about a creative decision you have made, or how you approach creative decisions in general. Any aspect of the topic is welcome though, of any length. Drawings, diagrams and photos are welcome too.

A recitation of all writing and public discussion will occur during March 2019 and thumb drives of each page will be sent to local libraries and schools to use as discussion starters about how media and personal experience can be used to inform decision-making. The books will be exhibited locally during October 2019.

DEADLINE: December 12, 2018. PLEASE NOTE: Donated work will remain anonymous, unless donors wish to be credited.

If you have questions please contact Georgina at sendcertainty@gmail.com.

You are invited to Participate  in “Certainty”, a community-wide writing project

about decision-making.

Decisions can be gut-wrenching dilemmas, or impulsive whims.

Even if we are unaware of it, we make decisions constantly, and cannot get through life without making them.

You are invited to donate your writing about a decision you made, or share your perspectives about your process of decision-making.

Food for Thought:

            What changes your mind from being uncertain to certain? Is it more coffee, clearing your mind, listing the pros and cons, looking at the evidence,are ethics involved? Do you leave things to chance, rely on someone else to make a decision, or use an app?

 How do you decide how to decide?

All of us have experienced difficult choices and adversity; these go with being human. How did we decide what to do?

Telling the events of a significant decision you made might help others in a similar situation.

            In a time when many are turning from dialog to shouting, it is increasingly difficult to solve societaland environmental problems that need urgent work. Too often, we do not reach a discussion of information and cannot begin to decide what actions to take.

How do we maintain a civil society that has informed discussions and

solves our problems?

             Opinion pieces, one-line of advice telling what your mother said, poems, descriptions of joyous decisions, life-changing ones, humorous, amazing and lucky ones are also appreciated.

All are welcomed. How did they turn out?

You opinion, however brief, counts.

Sometimes there is no certain choice we can make. Adversity must be faced, and the only choice is to decide how.

All writing will be compiled into a hand-made book of responses, with each entry illustrated.

A copy will be returned to each person who participates.

It is hoped that you will share it with friends and family to spread its wisdom.

Writers will remain anonymous unless they want to be credited.

Contact information will not be shared.

In March 2019 a reading and public discussion of ideas the book contains will be held at Norway Memorial Library.

Please send your writing to sendcertainty@gmail.com

by Wednesday, December 12, 2018.