January

January—National Mentoring Month

Sponsored by the Harvard Mentoring Project, this observance encourages volunteer mentors to help young people from underprivileged backgrounds reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.hsph.harvard.edu/chc/wmy2007/index.html.

January—National Blood Donor Month

Each day, 38,000 units of blood are needed in hospitals and emergency facilities. Go to www.givelife.org to find a blood drive near you.

January 8—Coming of Age Day, Japan

In Japan, young adults who have turned 20 celebrate their coming of age on the second Monday in January. On this national holiday—Seijin no hi—celebrants and their families visit local shrines in their best clothes and listen to sound advice from elders.

January 15—Martin Luther King Jr. Day/Day of Service

Reverend King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1929. A recent addition to this federal holiday, the Day of Service encourages citizens to follow his words: “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.“ For more, go to www.mlkday.org.

January 22–26—No Name-Calling Week

Words hurt. This week is aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with tools and inspiration to launch dialogues about ways to eliminate bullying. Go to www.nonamecallingweek.org.

February

February—Black History Month

We honor the achievements and history of Black Americans during this observance, which began in the 1920s as Negro History Week before becoming a month-long event in 1976.

February—Library Lovers’ Month

During this month, we celebrate libraries of all types and work to ensure that they will continue to serve. For more information, go to www.librarysupport.net/librarylovers.

February 4 & 5—African-American Read-In

Join over a million readers in this event, sponsored by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Visit www.ncte.org/prog/readin/107901.htm for more information.

February 17–24—National Future Farmers of America Week

The mission of FFA is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for leadership, growth, and career success through agricultural education. Go to www.ffa.org to find out more about this half-million-member organization.

February 18—Lunar New Year

This festival is celebrated in many Asian countries and by many Asian Americans here in the United States. This is the Year of the Pig. People prepare by cleaning house, buying presents, and eating special foods. On New Year’s Eve, some families gather to feast and watch fireworks at midnight.

February 20—Frederick Douglass Day

An abolitionist, lecturer, and writer, Douglass escaped slavery and became an advisor to President Lincoln. For more, see www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html.

Diversity Recipe

LETTUCE WRAPS

Lettuce wraps are now popular in the United States, but in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, wrapping lettuce around minced meat has been a  tradition for centuries. Here’s a recipe to make for the Lunar New Year. You can cook the filling at home and reheat in a microwave. Let students assemble their own—that’s half the fun. Makes 16 wraps.

Spicy Sauce Ingredients

3 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed

Filling Ingredients

Whisk together all spicy sauce ingredients and set aside.

Filling: Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger in vegetable oil for three minutes. Add ground beef, stirring to break up, until fully cooked (about 5 minutes). Add red pepper flakes, green onions, carrot, and zucchini. Saute 2 minutes. Drain grease and remove from heat. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cilantro, and toss. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Have each person spoon 1-2 Tbsp of meat into a lettuce leaf. Drizzle with a little of the spicy sauce, roll up, and enjoy.

*Check the international food aisle at your supermarket.