Stories this week at Wake Forest

WAKE FOREST HOSTS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. STEP SHOW

Step teams from nearly 10 organizations and three states will meet toe to toe at Wake Forest on Jan. 19 for the first Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Step Show Invitational, “One Step Closer to the Dream.” In addition to the competitive stepping by college teams, the Carver High School Step Team will make a special presentation during the event. Stepping begins at 7:30 p.m. in Brendle Recital Hall in Scales Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $10 at the door or $8 in advance by calling Wake Forest’s Office of Multicultural Affairs at 758-5864. A portion of the event’s proceeds will be donated to the Winston-Salem YWCA. Several Wake Forest groups are sponsoring the show. These include the Wake Forest Gospel Choir, local chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta sororities, and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

CLINTON’S PASTOR TO SPEAK ABOUT CHRISTIAN ETHICS

The Rev. J. Philip Wogaman, senior pastor at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., will speak at Wake Forest University Jan. 23 and 24. His visit is part of the university’s 2000-2001 Year of Ethics and Honor event series. Wogaman is best known for being the pastor to President Bill Clinton’s family. He wrote about the moral issues surrounding Clinton’s impeachment in his 1999 book, “The Eye of the Storm: A Pastor to the President Speaks Out.” He will give three public programs during his visit.

EXPERT ADDRESSES CHARACTER EDUCATION TREND

Across the country, school systems are increasingly adding character education programs into their curriculums. While many educators say the programs are invaluable, the effort to teach children about moral behavior in the public school setting has some families up in arms. Some parents are challenging their school systems’ new programs, saying they rob them of the chance to instill their own values in their children. Arthur Schwartz, the nation’s foremost expert on the effectiveness of character education, will discuss the trend at 7 p.m. on Feb. 1 in Benson University Center’s Pugh Auditorium. Schwartz, currently with the John Templeton Foundation, previously taught at Harvard University.

EXPERT AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ROE VS. WADE

With the 25th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade this week, Simone Caron, associate professor of history, is available for interviews about abortion statistics and trends. Caron is an expert on the issues of abortion, sterilization and birth control in America from 1800 to the present.

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION SCHEDULED

Wake Forest University will host a Chinese New Year celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 3 in the theater lobby of Scales Fine Arts Center. The program will feature demonstrations and hands-on activities highlighting various aspects of Chinese culture, including calligraphy, face painting, paper folding, tea tasting and acupuncture. Participants will also be able to find their Chinese zodiac signs. The traditional celebratory lion dance and martial arts demonstrations are scheduled throughout the afternoon.

Categories: Arts & Culture, Events