FROM THE PUBLISHER
The girls from WoteSawa Young Domestic Workers Organization in Mwanza, Tanzania, represent the Africa chapter of the Merze Tate Explorers. During our visit to Tanzania with Kalamazoo Safari Company, Sasha Hollins (back in visor), Bette Boulding (back, second from left), and myself (center), pose with organization founder Angela Benedicto (back in turquoise.)
MULTI-CULTURAL NEWS SOURCE
Sonya Volume Hollins 13, Issue 01 Managing Editor
The tragic international death toll, shelter-in-place mandates, and challenges in education, may be what is remembered most vividly about the Covid pandemic. For the Merze Tate Explorers, a cancelled trip to South Africa during Covid led to a sisterhood with the WoteSawa Young Domestic Workers Organization. I met Angela Benedicto, the founder of the organization, during her visit to Kalamazoo with Colleagues International. Angela visited our Explorers during her trip and we vowed to one day visit Tanzania. Then, Covid hit. We began monthly virtual meetings with Angela and her girls. Although the Swahili/English language barrier first was a challenge, girls on both continents looked forward to gathering in their rooms or in groups around a laptop to learn about one another. They wondered how they could help one another. Scholarships were the key. Our African Explorers created clothing and bags that the American Explorers used to create an online auction. Together they raised more than $5,000. During a visit to Mwanza, we met the girls who benefited from those funds. Through the tears of gratitude and pride of their accomplishments, I realized, more than ever, that when girls use their superpowers, they can change the world! Onward! Sonya Bernard-Hollins Publisher and Founder of Merze Tate Explorers
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P.O. Box 51042 Kalamazoo, MI 49005 (269) 365-4019 (269) 342-2376 fax
Founders Arlene & James Washington www.comvoicesonline.com (2005-2010) Publisher Season Press LLC (2010-) Co-editors Alayna Kuhn & Aliah Ward Social Media Assistant Sasha Hollins Reporters/Photographers Merze Tate Explorers Graphic Design & Printing Sean Hollins, RJ’s Printing Multimedia Editor Dare’l McMillion For more information visit www.merzetate.org write: Season Press P.O. Box 51042 Kalamazoo, MI 49005 or call: 269-359-7895 Community Voices’ is published quarterly by Season Press LLC. Free issues are available at schools, libraries, and youth organizations throughout West Michigan and online at: www. merzetate.org. No parts of this magazine may be reproduced without permission.
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Co-editor Aliah Ward discovers what motivates Consuelo Shank during a Saturday workshop at Kalamazoo Public Library.
CO-EDITOR’S NOTE By Aliah Ward
The Explorers gathered in the Teen Room of the Kalamazoo Public Library to interview Consuelo Shank. As the cameras began to roll and students took notes, they gazed at her warm, welcoming smile as she shared her life and career. Shank, a PNC Bank Client and Community Relations director said it is important to “Keep it movin’” in life. With a passion for collaboration and community, Shank partners with non-profit organizations like the Merze Tate Explorers, to fund their endeavors. While she loves her career, she said, it was not something she considered as a child. Shank first remembered wanting to become a cosmetologist. It was her job as a teller at a PNC bank that changed her path. Today, after 21 years with PNC, she continues to enjoy having a job that allows her to give back to the community she grew up in. Once she decided to pursue a career in the banking industry, she enrolled at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. After college, she continued to rise through the ranks at PNC, got married, and started a family. Although work and family keep her busy, she takes time to relax and enjoy life. She has traveled to a variety of places, such as Thailand and the Dominican Republic, and continues
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makeup artistry as a hobby. Shank says that networking is a key part of success in her field. She has worked on many projects with various groups in the past, but one of her favorite non-profit organizations to work with is the Merze Tate Explorers! Shank says the hardest part of her job is the limited funding that does not allow her to give to all who apply. Shank is a vibrant, intelligent, and sophisticated woman who has worked very hard to accomplish her dreams. She is a wonderful role model to young girls, encouraging them to stay in school and get an education to achieve their goals.
Consuelo Shank receives cool Explorer swag after her interview. Back from left: Brittany Wright, Layla Coleman; front from left, Zydiora Jones, Shank, and Nariyah Reynolds.
1- Have a thirst for knowledge. 2- Walk with authority. Take your time, keep your shoulders back, and your head held high. Know who you are and know that God created you for a unique purpose. 3- Have a support system. Surround yourself with people who love and support you. 4- Know your voice. What you have to say is important and unique. Your experiences shape your voice. 8
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Clockwise: Giovonnie Samuels poses with Explorers Sasha Hollins, Maya Daniels, Brittany Wright, Syann Hollins, Arianna Milliner, and Aliah Ward. * Explorer copresidents Nariyah Reynolds and Zydiora Jones present gifts to our guest as Sonya Hollins stands by. * Nya and Alayna Kuhn pose with Samuels.
Actress Giovonnie Samuels poses with Explorers after an acting workshop filled with motivating messages. Photos by Dare’l McMillian
By Alayna Kuhn Giovonnie Samuels rushed through the doors of the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan office in Kalamazoo. She was on a mission. “Where are the Girl Scout Cookies?” she laughed. The bubbly award-winning actress arrived in Kalamazoo to deliver the keynote address and host an acting workshop for the Merze Tate Explorers’ Spring Celebration. The child actress captivated her audiences with her pearls of wisdom coupled with comedy. Her infectious laugh and bouncy curls were reminiscent of one of the earliest child actresses, Shirley Temple. Samuels admits that it was the young Shirley Temple who inspired her to pursue an acting career. “When I was about 3 years old, I watched that little girl on television performing, tap dancing, and singing, and I remember thinking, “That looks fun. I can do that,” Samuels told students who attended her acting workshop. Samuels took the stage in local plays and shows before she entered Kindergarten. Her career took off when the pre-teen secured an audition in Hollywood. Aubrey Avery of Kalamazoo remembers getting a frantic call just before the young actress was scheduled to audition. He had recently moved to Los Angeles and had known the family for years. When their car broke down on the way to the audition, Avery came to the rescue.
It was that audition for the 12-year-old that launched her career in such pop-comedy shows as The Suite Life of Zac and Cody and That’s So Raven. As she matured, so did her roles. She played a sassy cheerleader in Bring it On, and a student in Freedom Writers. That role in Freedom Writers still has deep meaning for her. When asked what was her favorite role, she fought back tears. “In Freedom Writers, I learned about personal growth. I learned how to push, even when it was hard,” she said wiping her tears. As the students sought advice on how to break into the movie industry, Samuels shared the importance of mental health, strong faith, and loving the craft. With each role she learned something new about herself. In addition to a strong support system, she said actors have to love what they do and be able to accept rejection. “If I didn’t get a role, no matter how much I wanted it, I had to believe that it just wasn’t for me,” she said. “I had a strong sense of myself and I knew nothing was going to get in the way of me doing what I loved.”
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The Kalamazoo Nature Center and Audubon Society of Kalamazoo (ASK), welcomed the Explorers to experience nature, attend a lecture with ornithologist and author Drew Lanham, and draw birds with artist Olivia Mendoza (page 12). Russ Schipper and Susan Schneider of ASK taught the Explorers how to identify birds by sound and special features. Others who assisted included Dr. Sharon Gill, ornithologist at Western Michigan University, Jeanne Chyrch, and ASK President Donna Keller. Photos by the Explorers. 10 | FALL 2023
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Above: Artist Olivia Mendoza spent Earth Day with the Explorers at the Kalamazoo Nature Center; below: Kaylee Hampton wins a prize for her bird drawing; Carli Thompson of the Nature Center, poses by Mendoza’s work. Photos by Explorers
By Juliana Liggins and Aaliyah Swift The Explorers spent Earth Day in April with artist Olivia Mendoza at the Kalamazoo Nature Center. The aspiring artist shared her passion for art and her Nature Center exhibit, “Up in the Air: Birds Navigating the Anthropocene.” When you think of the word artist, do you think of a painter, a musician, or a dancer? We met an artist who does all her art with colored pencils. It would surprise you at how real they look! Mendoza began taking art seriously when she was 16 years old. The Ann Arbor student graduated from high school and moved to Kalamazoo to take classes at Western Michigan University. She was just 17 years old. She later enrolled at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to study medical illustration art. Her art classes included learning anatomy to draw the insides and outsides of real bodies. She has created art of animals, plants, insects, and even an album cover. Mendoza looks forward to more commissioned work, like the one at the Nature Center Learn more about this artist at her website: Oliviamendozaillustration.com. 12 | FALL 2023
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The Merze Tate Explorers organization has a mission to help girls “Explore Possibilities Through Media.” Media arts can include everything from journalism to theater. Since 2008, Explorers have experienced dozens of stage performances, thanks to local theater organizations such as Miller Auditorium, the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, The Barn Theatre, and Farmers Alley Theatre. These organizations have provided access to not only view productions, but an opportunity for the entire family to meet the cast and experience the behind-the-scenes of a production. Bravo!
She Persisted@ Farmers Alley Theatre “Seeing live theater offers children a range of demonstrated benefits that enrich their social and emotional growth, support their school engagement, and develop their ability to imagine the future.” National Endowment for the Arts report, “Envisioning the Future of Theater for Young Audiences,” (2018).
EXPLORING
Explorers researched Atlanta, Georgia, Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Louisville, cities they would like to visit for a summer adventure. They learned a day before the would be their destination. These travel writers explored a national park, lea sports legend, enjoyed Kentucky Fried Chicken at the company headquarters, w history of Noah’s Ark, and made hats with a famous hat maker. 16 | FALL 2023
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, Kentucky as three he trip that Louisville arned more about a walked through the
By Jasmine and Juliana Liggins and Kaylee Hampton LOUISVILLE, KY- The Merze Tate Explorers took a trolley ride around Louisville to learn more about the legendary Muhammad Ali. Garret McCorkle, education assistant at the Ali Center, was our tour guide and expert on Ali’s life. As we rode through the streets on a warm June afternoon, McCorkle brought to life many of the stories we had heard about.
Our journey led us to the home of Ali, 3302 Grand Avenue. He was born in Louisville on January 17, 1942, and named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay. McCorkle told us how Ali was so happy to have received a new red Schwinn bicycle from his parents when he was 12 years old. But the bike was soon stolen, and Ali was mad! He was so mad that he went to file a police report. He swore to Officer Joe Martin that he would “whup” the thief if he ever found him. Officer Martin did something to change Ali’s life. He gave him boxing lessons. Our guide said that AliKYwasThe asked, yearsTate later,Explorers what he would LOUISVILLE, Merze took ado if he could talk trolley to the ride bike around thief today. Ali replied that he would shake Louisville to learn more about the his hand and thank him. Today, Muhammad Ali isMcCorkle, considerededucathe best legendary Muhammad Ali. Garret boxer of all time! tion assistant at the Ali Center, was our tour guide and expert on Ali’s life. As we rode through the streets on a We rode and stopped to take photos McCorkle along our brought adventure. We many saw the warm June afternoon, to life church Ali attended and learned how he would leave church early to save of the stories we had heard about. a spot for his family to picnic in the popular Chickasaw Park. Chickasaw Park was one of the only parks in Louisville that was meant for black people to enjoy.
Left page: Explorers pose in front Chestnut Street Family YMCA where famous artist Shepard Fairey painted Ali’s image. Above: Kaylee, Juliana, and Jasmine pose in front of the gym where Ali took his first boxing lessons. The bike on the building hangs in honor of the bike stolen from Ali. Below: Explorers pose with Ali Center education coordinator Garret McCorkle who led the trolley tour.
The Explorers and traveling parents, pose in front of Muhammad Ali’s childhood home at 3302 Grand Avenue. Below: Juliana hits the punching bag in the Ali Center, and the reporters pose by a display of medals won by Ali.
Young Cassius would go to Chickasaw Park to train every day. His training schedule included a four-mile jog, sit-ups, push-ups, shadowboxing, and sparring with himself in the park. He never lifted a single weight to train in his whole boxing career. We also rode by Central High School, the segregated school that young Cassius attended. McCorkle told us that the young boxer would often put on combat boots and chase his school bus to school for fun and exercise. In 1960, when Cassius was still an amateur boxer, he had 100 wins and 5 losses. Because of his good record, he was invited to the Olympics in Rome, Italy. Everybody was very excited and happy, but there was one problem. Cassius was afraid of flying in an airplane. He and Officer Martin had a three-hour-long conversation on why flying wasn’t as bad as it seemed. After the conversation, he still wasn’t convinced. Finally, Martin tricked Cassius into wearing a parachute on the plane. Cassius won the gold medal in that Olympics. When he returned, a big parade was held for him in Louisville. Days later, he went to a diner with a friend to get a burger and a shake. The people at the counter refused to serve them because they were African American. Then they showed her his gold medal. She didn’t care. It’s been said that once Cassius realized that nothing he did could change racism, he threw the medal off of a bridge into the Ohio River. 20 | FALL 2023
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After converting to the Islamic faith, Clay changed his name to Muhammed Ali. In 2005, Louisville established a museum called the Muhammad Ali Center. We visited the Center, which has exhibits, old video footage, and even some of his awards on display. The memory of Muhammad Ali is very much alive in Louisville. He was a hometown hero. He was, and still is, Louisville’s Greatest!
“it’s finger lickin’ fun”
Kentucky Fried Chicken HEADQUARTERS
The Explorers took a tasty trip to Kentucky Fried Chicken headquarters in Louisville. In addition to learning fun facts about Colonel Sanders, they ate the best KCF nuggets and fries! * Jasmine Liggins tries to crack the code to the safe that contains the secret recipe of the chicken known for its seven herbs and spices. Below: The Explorers sit at the original Colonel Sanders desk where they play on his rotary-dial phone.
By Alayna and Aaliyah Swift and Cianna Hobson Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, our campaign to raise $15,000 to see U.S. National Parks was a success. Our first National Park was Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.
The Merze Tate Explorers had ran frantically from the van to make our tour time of 4 p.m. It was the last tour of the day, and we had to make it. Our late start from our visit to Churchill Downs, and a race against an approaching storm, had us worried. But we made it! As we ran to join the tour, the lead park ranger announced, “Hold on to your tickets! We have to get to the caves. A big storm is heading our way. We will check your tickets once we are inside the cave!” The clouds were rushing in, and the sky was getting darker. We put on the rain ponchos my mom brought for everyone and moved quickly through a wooded area and down stone stairs to safety. We were now in Mammoth Cave with more than 50 other tourists. The cave once was used to produce and store weapons and gunpowder in 1812. Enslaved individuals worked in the cave and helped provide war materials. We saw things like the Bottomless Pit, an underground waterfall, and many carvings on the walls. In some places, we had to duck our heads and squeeze through places like an area called Fat Man’s Misery. We climbed over 500 stairs and had to walk up steep ramps. “By the 1830s, Mammoth Cave was on its way to becoming a large tourist attraction,” said the cave tour guide. He said on July 6, 1941, Mammoth Cave was officially a national park. Stephen Bishop, an enslaved teenager, discovered the front part of the cave. In 1838, he was put on assignment by his slave master to explore the caves as a future tour attraction. When Bishop found the cave, there was a wall in the middle of the cave separating the front and the back of the cave. We bravely made our way through that cave with new knowledge and memories, thanks to Stephen. 22 | FALL 2023
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Cianna: My experience at Mammoth Cave was a very ‘up and down one.’ On one hand, I saw and learned new things. I got to go to a new place and see beautiful new sights like the underground waterfall. But, on the other hand, the floor was uneven, and in some parts, the walls were more narrow than others. Water was flowing from the ceiling, and there were lots and lots of stairs to climb. Overall, it was a great experience and nothing like I’ve ever done before. Alayna: It was fun, exciting, scary, cool, and inspirational. Mammoth Cave taught me so many things. I learned that Native Americans once lived in the caves. I also learned that Mammoth Cave was made by water erosion. At the start of the cave, it was very wet, and water was flowing down to the bottom. I wondered, how does it flow water when there are no water sources around it? I was thinking about this while we were in the cave, and that’s why I hit my head three times! Then, the ranger turned out his lantern light so we would see just how the cave looked in complete darkness. Girls screamed! Mammoth Cave was shocking. As part of the tour, I learned that there are many water sources under the cave, so water generates to the top and flows to the bottom. Aaliyah: I enjoyed my time in the cave. When we started the cave tour, it was raining so hard. We were wet and cold. As the journey went on, I learned lots of new things. We crouched a lot and had to turn in different ways to find different parts of the cave. We also had to climb up hundreds of stairs. But in the end, we took lots of pictures, and it was lots of fun! Mammoth Cave is a beautiful, inspiring place to visit.
By Alayna and Aaliyah Swift and Cianna Hobson What was the name of the first female horse ever to win the Kentucky Derby? What year did the first African-American jockey ride in a Derby race? What was the fastest time a horse ran in the Kentucky Derby? The Explorers learned the answers to these questions and more during an adventure to Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby. Over 10,000 excited fans attended the first official Kentucky Derby race in 1875. Today, it has become the longest, continuously held sporting event in the United States. In 1915, the first female horse won a Derby. Her name was Regret. They named her Regret because she was a girl horse who many felt would not reach her full potential. How wrong they were. Regret became the first superstar of horse racing.
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How the race is run The Derby race consists of 20 horses. Days before the event, an official pulls the names of each horse from a hat to determine which spot on the track the horse will get. Before the race, the crowd sings, “My Old Kentucky Home.” The jockeys get in the starter stall and wait for the lowering of the flag. The stall gates open, and the race is on! Fun Fact: Our guide told us that the lane on the track that has had the most winners is lane 5. No one has ever won if they are in lane 17. (Maybe one day.) The horses run on a moist track made of silt, clay, and sand. The amount of money a horse owner wins is now $1.68 million dollars! The winning horse, the jockey, and the horse’s owner celebrate the win with roses, a golden statue, and the title of Kentucky Derby winner. The jockey who rides the winning horse may receive about $5,000. In the past, jockeys protested for better pay. We learned from exhibits in the Kentucky Derby Museum that they paid African-American jockeys four times less than white jockeys.
Clockwise: Explorers visit the stable area where horses await training and races; the Kentucky Derby is an annual sporting event that brings spectators from around the world; African-American jockey Oliver Lewis is featured in the Kentucky Derby Museum.
The History of African American jockeys African-American jockeys were great horse racers in the Derby. Oliver Lewis was an African American from Kentucky who raced the horse, Aristide, in the very first Derby, on May 17, 1875. He won the race but never raced again. African-American jockeys won 15 of the first 28 Derby races. Other African-American jockeys who won the Derby include William Walker, James “Soup” Perkins, and many more! Learn more at https://www.derbymuseum.org/Exhibits/ Detail/12/Black-Heritage-in-Racing After 1921, racism kept African-American jockeys from racing. It wasn’t until 2000 that Marlon St. Julien represented African Americans as a Derby winner. The Churchill Downs Museum has many plaques dedicated to the African-American jockeys. Millionaire Row Our tour guide said that those with the best seats and access during the Kentucky Derby sit in Millionaire’s Row. They also have the VIP privilege of eating in a special restaurant. The news of mysterious horse deaths caused the cancellation of our brunch at the special restaurant. But we could still wear our bright, colorful outfits and fancy hats in honor of the Kentucky Derby tradition.
SHEro in Fashion “There is Power in wearing a hat.” By Sasha Hollins, Zydiora Jones, and Nariyah Reynolds
Left page: Explorers pose with Jenny Pfanenstiel and their newly created fastener head wear. Clockwise: The Explorers prepare to create a fastener hat. * Cianna gets creative. * Jyllian helps her daughter Juliana with her project. LAGRANGE, KY- Did you know there are two kinds of coverings for your head? One is a hat. A hat covers your head. The other is a fastener. A fastener is a headpiece that covers only part of your head. The Explorers learned this and other cool hat facts during a visit with milliner (hatmaker) Jenny Pfanenstiel. We visited the worldfamous hatmaker at her downtown Louisville shop, Formé Millinery. We also visited her millinery, Judith M Millinery Supply House, in LaGrange, just outside Louisville. She owns one of only three milliner shops in the United States. “I began sewing at the age of seven,” Pfanenstiel said during our visit to her cute little hat shop in downtown Louisville. She learned her amazing sewing skills from her mother and grandmother. Her dream was to become a costume designer for Broadway productions. After attending a hat-making workshop in Europe, she returned to Chicago and focused on the craft. Word spread of her amazing creations, and she soon began making hats for those who attended the Kentucky Derby. Today, she is the official hatmaker for the Derby. Her fans buy her creations in the price range from $250 to $3,200! Walking into her shops was like walking into a fairytale. Everything looked like it came right out of a storybook. Many of her hats are one-of-a-kind because they are based on the customer’s
personality. She once made a hat for a customer to enter a hat competition. The hat was in the shape of a martini glass with an olive coming out. Of course, the women won the competition. “There is never a hat too big, and no hat too small,” Pfanenstiel said. Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama have worn her creations. Costume designers for Broadway and Disney productions often contact her for hats to use in their movies and plays. She has even created hats for royalty and the wealthy who want her one-of-a-kind creations to wear to the Kentucky Derby. Pfanenstiel said her success is possible because of husband who ships her creations to customers around the world. “I like dealing with the people,” Bart said. “I like talking with them and learning their story to help them find what they want.” Their millinery shop offers classes for those who want to learn to make their own hat, and has all the supplies needed. Pfanenstiel is a hat miracle worker and has a very gifted talent for making unique hats. She gave us a whole new perspective on a new career to think about. We can’t wait to hear more in the future about Jenny Pfanenstiel. www.comvoicesonline.com
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By Jasmine and Juliana Liggins and Kaylee Hampton We rumbled and shook as we traveled through time, back to the making of Noah’s Ark. Well, not really, but it felt like it because we were in a virtual reality experience at the Ark Encounter. The Merze Tate Explorers took a trip to Williamsburg, Kentucky, to the Ark Encounter, the most authentic replica of Noah’s Ark in the world! It has a farm with animals, plants, exhibits, and entertainment.
Jasmine and Kaylee pose in the Noah’s Ark replica in Williamsburg, Kentucky. Right page: Explorers take part in a virtual reality look back in time in a recreation of Noah’s wok on the ark. * Kaylee, Jasmine, and Juliana pose by at the entrance.
Juliana I was so excited when we drove on the bus to the entrance. I was curious to see what the inside and outside of the Ark looked like. I was also really excited because we would see a virtual reality short film about how Noah and his sons built the ark. When we got to the virtual reality room, we were seated in a room with up to four big seats. We put on our special VR glasses. It was really fun to see how the ark was made and how people didn’t believe Noah. After the time travel experience, we went inside Noah’s Ark (or at least what it might have looked like.) I think it was interesting to learn about the ark and how eight people (Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives) survived on the ark for 200 days. I didn’t know they stayed on the ark for almost a year after the rain stopped. Jasmine The Ark Encounter was such a surreal experience. Seeing the ark’s size and the number of plants and animals that could fit was amazing. The process of building the ark took so much work and preparation. The Ark Encounter brochure states, “The ark is 510 feet long and over 7 stories high.” When I was close to it, I felt really small in comparison. In the Bible, God told Noah to build the ark with Gopher wood, but the ark replica is built with Douglas fir, Engelmann spruce, radiata pine, bamboo, and white fir. Even though everything was sculpted, it looked and felt so real, especially the living spaces. While going through the top deck of the ark, we saw Noah and his family’s living quarters. They had the essentials for living. They had a kitchen, a living room, and a room for each person. They had plenty of food stored to survive for to 200 days. The Ark Encounter was a very educational and detailed biblical exhibit. Going through the exhibit was fascinating; we even learned things we didn’t know about from reading the Bible. Something that I didn’t know until I got to the Ark, was the amount of people in the Ark. Kaylee I saw the many prehistorical animals on the ark that are now extinct. We learned that, after the flood, Noah had all the animals in cages that he released at certain times. Very big pottery containers were neatly placed on all levels of the ark as an example of how the fruit and grain were stored on the ark for the people and animals to eat. We learned that there were 6,744 animals on the ark that all could have been making a lot of noise for those 40 days of the flood. After the experience, I was surprised and shocked.
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Quiz time How much do you know about Kentucky? Review the stories for the answers. Good luck!
Muhammad Ali Story - Page 19 A _________ was stolen from Ali when he was a boy. Hatmaker Story - Page 27 A _________ creates hats.
Noah’s Ark Story- Page 29 Noah and his family were on the ark for ________ days.
