Dewitt Maxwell

Maxwell's project, "Hometown Heroes" is a literacy and humanities-based initiative that will allow students of various grade levels to create and publish educational materials other local stakeholders can use. The program will also promote self-esteem and reward students by displaying their work as part of a book and website. In addition to conducting Internet and print research, students will participate in walking tours of downtown Memphis to learn the significance of local names, buildings, statues and historic sites like the National Civil Rights Museum. Students will leverage their research, tour notes and photographs to make their individual contributions to the final product. Upon completion, the project compilation will be integrated into a six-week instructional period that dovetails with the current humanities curriculum. Maxwell believes the program will be instrumental in developing students' critical thinking skills and creative abilities through the use of unique instructional strategies. Maxwell is a resident of Memphis.