March 10, 2005 - Estrella Mountain Community College will host its second annual EMCC Extravanganza: An Interdisciplinary and Multicultural Showcase, on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, at Ceremonial Plaza at the EMCC campus, located at 3000 North Dysart Road, in Avondale. The festival, which is free and open to the public, will feature an art market and art walk highlighting the work of local artists including students from Agua Fria High School in Goodyear; live stage performances by EMCC students and faculty; African Tam Tam performances which features tribal drumming, singing and dancing, directed by Cameroon's Emmy Sportif Ayafor; international dance performances by Opendance troupe; and music by Familia MartÃnez. This year the event will also offer free blood and glucose screenings. EMCC faculty and festival director Cecilia Rosales, PhD, hopes that free, public events like the Liberal Arts Festival will help to build awareness of the variety and value of an education foundation in Liberal Arts not only among EMCC students but the West Valley community as a whole. According to Dr. Rosales, exposure to Liberal Arts not only enhances awareness of other cultures, it also "empowers people to develop critical thinking and communication skills, and to recognize diverse backgrounds and abilities." Such knowledge coupled with high standards and levels of integrity are what enable not only EMCC students, but the world as a whole, to understand both oneself and others, the keys to success in a constantly changing world. A festival like this one, which provides a broad look at works of art, performance, social causes, and cultures, is the first step in acheiving that awareness among the community and students, and proves one very evident truth: learning about the world around us doesn't have to happen in a classroom, and most of all, it can be fun.Estrella Mountain Community College is located on Thomas and Dysart Roads in Avondale and offers transfer-ready academic courses and job-specific occupational training to more than 13,000 students annually. Estrella Mountain is part of the Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college districts in the nation. For more information visit www.estrellamountain.edu or www.maricopa.edu # # #
