Highland Park Elementary students wearing T-shirts of different colors sang the national anthem of Slovenia Wednesday morning. In early 2002 those students hope to sing it again when Olympic athletes from the Eastern European country arrive in Utah.
That was also the hope of Salt Lake Organizing Committee President and CEO Mitt Romney as he helped officially launch the statewide "One School, One Country" program. Schools across the state will be given the opportunity to adopt a country participating in the 2002 Olympic or Paralympic Winter Games and study the nation's culture, language, history and geography during the 21/2 years before the Games.Romney said he wanted to have the athletes feel they already know someone when they arrive in Utah.
"We want to ask you to be their (athletes') friends. Learn about their flags, and learn their national anthem," Romney told schoolchildren gathered at the International Peace Gardens.
The country adoption program was piloted in the Salt Lake City School District during the 1998-99 school year. Each school has been assigned a country to study.
For example, students at Highland Park Elementary have been learning about Slovenia through the Internet. They've been able to create electronic pen pals and ask questions about their homes and surroundings, said music teacher Stephanie Bennion.
"Slovenia is about the same size as Utah," said one student.
Alex Curtis, a sixth-grade student at Uintah Elementary, was one of a troupe of dancers presenting a Dutch folk dance. Classmates waved handmade Netherlands flags.
"We learned about what they wear. They probably would wear clogs. We learned about their dance and learned to speak a little Dutch," Curtis said.
In their dance they said "hey" or "hello" and the girls pretended to slap the boys, explained Tracey Major, a fifth-grader.
Students from Edison Elementary helped share language from its multicultural student body. A group of students with Pakistani, Mexican and Bosnian heritage all said hello to the gathering in their native language.
Mayor Deedee Corradini said she brought the "One Country, One School" idea home from Nagano, Japan. She told the crowd she never forgot entering the Olympic Village and being greeted by schoolchildren singing the U.S. national anthem as the flag was raised.
"The goal for our youth include promoting the Olympic spirit, sparking an interest in other countries, creating a cultural exchange, encouraging international friendship and developing Olympic curriculums," said Judy Stanfield, SLOC director of education.
Each school that participates will receive flags of the Salt Lake 2002 Games and its adopted country for display. They will be encouraged to learn about the country's winter sports and athletes. And like in Japan, students will be invited to attend pre-Olympic and Paralympic events with the athletes from their country.
School administrators and teachers can obtain more information about the "One School, One Country" program on the Internet at the Utah Education Network www.uen.org and at Salt Lake District's program resources Web site www.slc.k12.ut.us/2002/listosoc.html.
For questions call Judy Stanfield 801-212-2345 or Kim at 801-212-2098.