Blizzard Cup

2009 – 2015

SparkPath, in partnership with the YMCA Beacons after-school program, provided an academic challenge opportunity to Beacon students, grades 6-8, from several Minneapolis public schools. The program, similar to Knowledge Bowl, was called the Blizzard Cup thanks to generous funding from Dairy Queen International (DQI).

Young Inventors Fair

1980 – 2012

The Young Inventors Fair (YIF) engaged approximately 7,000 young inventors in grades 3-8 each year. Students created original inventions over a multi-month period using a project-based curriculum that emphasized the creative process, scientific inquiry skills, and problem-solving.

Water is Life Contest

2008 – 2011

In collaboration with the Minnesota Service Cooperatives and The Freshwater Society, high school students participated in a contest to create a piece of visual art conveying messages about water conservation. The artwork and accompanying statement from each artist explained the theme of their work and how the artwork conveyed the importance of protecting and preserving water.

Just the Arts

2006 – 2009

Just the Arts provided inspiration and exploration of a variety of performing and visual arts topics for grades 6-9. This event offered students an opportunity to explore an art form of their choice in a deeper way.

Holocaust Remembrance

1995 – 2006

This presentation was a powerful multimedia message that provoked students to examine the effects of social injustice and discrimination. It enhanced school curriculum related to the Holocaust and included open dialogue with a Holocaust survivor.

Ragamala Dance

2003 – 2004

Ragamala Dance Company performances introduced students to the South Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam. SparkPath collaborated with the University of Minnesota’s School of Music to provide performances of Return of the Rain Seed, where Ragamala dancers wove a magical spell of music, dance, and the spoken word to tell the story of Mala, a young girl who yearns to be brave and adventurous.

Hands On History

1999 – 2004

Students in grades 5-7 were immersed for a day in the life of early Minnesota settlers at Murphy’s Landing, a living historic village of the 1800s located in Shakopee, MN.

Fourth Write! Conference

1998 – 2004

Fourth Write! was a series of one-day events designed to immerse Minneapolis Public Schools’ fourth-grade students and their teachers in experiences and expertise of professional writers, literary artists, and educators.  The purpose of the conference was to support increased student achievement in writing. It focused student and teacher attention on the expectation that, by the middle of fourth grade, students should be purposefully applying the skills of written communication with increasing expertise.