GeoMississippi! Celebrating 200 Years
Geography Awareness Week
November 13-17, 2017
Mississippi Geographic Alliance
Happy Birthday Mississippi! Our state is turning 200 years old on December 10 , 2017, and we are ready to party! In honor of this milestone, MGA wants to help our citizens become more geographically aware of our wonderful state.
Did you know that Geography Awareness Week, or GeoWeek, was launched in 1987 by presidential proclamation and is an annual opportunity for families, schools, and communities to engage in fun, educational experiences that draw attention to Geo-Literacy and the importance of geographic understanding? What is Geo-Literacy? The term, coined by National Geographic, means that students have an “understanding of human and natural systems, geographic reasoning, and systematic decision-making.” These are essential skills for 21st century learners! But, more importantly, GeoWeek is getting people actively involved in the world they live in and spread the word about geography.
On December 10, 1817, Mississippi was officially recognized as the 20th state in the United States of America. During 2017, Mississippi has celebrated this milestone with reflections on our history and culture. There have been celebrations that have honored our people and places, music and food, sports legends, literary and artistic genius, and more. GeoWeek will celebrate and highlight how geography connects Mississippi to our nation and the world, past, present, and future!