'Let's make something cool': Gulo-Gulo encourages love of teaching, learning

Install more surveillance cameras to curb elevated crime rates. Hire better teachers to help struggling schools. And decrease the voting age to 16 to encourage more civic engagement.

In nearby classrooms, other children used their creativity to write poetry, paint pictures and design their own games. It was all part of University of Michigan-Dearborn’s inaugural Gulo-Gulo (Latin for wolverine) community education event.

About 250 sixth-graders from Stout Middle School in Dearborn visited campus on May 17 to participate in their choice of 20 courses taught by UM-Dearborn students, faculty and staff.

“The goal is to build excitement for teaching and learning from both sides,” said Maureen Linker, UM-Dearborn associate professor of philosophy, who helped coordinate the event. “The children get to learn about things they normally wouldn’t have access to, empowering them to find what they love to learn, discover college and new career opportunities so they can become tomorrow’s leaders. On the teacher side, we offer UM-Dearborn students and staff an opportunity to give back to their community, while sharing what they love. This is a great opportunity to become part of an educational venture and become a leader in your field.”

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters Building hosted its share of unique courses, ranging from “What if G.I. Joe was a doll and Barbie was an action figure?” to “Discover the Superhero Within You.”

In Room 1083, children were encouraged to express their imagination and emotion through paint.

“Paint whatever you want – there are no rules,” said UM-Dearborn student Sultana Hermiz, who led the “Expressing What’s In Your Mind Through Painting” workshop.

Next door in Room 1084, UM-Dearborn student Charles Toeppe asked children to create poetry using just a pen and a newspaper. Children circled words they thought would fit into a poem, then recited them aloud.

“In art, there really are no rules, so do whatever you want,” Toeppe said. “A poem doesn’t have to rhyme. Let’s try to make something cool.”

Bruce Maxim, associate professor of computer and information science, kept children’s attention by showing them video games created by UM-Dearborn students. One child who had an affinity for video games chimed in on his future plans.

“I want to do this when I grow up,” he told Maxim. “I’d get A’s in all my classes.”

Maxim responded by encouraging the child to pursue his dreams.

“Any game you want to make is fine because it’s your game,” he said.

Gulo-Gulo! wrapped up with lunch at the University Center and a performance by the band Stone Clover.

The event was organized by MetroScholars, which is comprised of UM-Dearborn’s Blueprints Leadership Program, Women in Learning and Leadership and Honors Transfer Innovators.