Eventually, Christian hopes to take the competition statewide and then national. The participating schools from Prince George's County include five-time winner Beltsville Academic Center, High Bridge Elementary, Potomac Landing Elementary, and Templeton Elementary. Also entering the competition are Maryland City Elementary from Anne Arundel County and Featherbed Lane Intermediate from Baltimore County. Students, grouped into teams of three, will spend the next few weeks studying information provided by Professor Christian about the people, places and events that significantly influenced the African-American experience. The information is drawn from a wide curriculum, including social studies, history, economics and geography.
Teams consist of a member from the fourth, fifth and sixth grades.
Then teams within each school will battle each other to determine which three teams go on to the final competition to be held at the University of Maryland on March 21. The final competition will consist of three teams from each of the six schools. Trophies are awarded to members of the teams that place first through fifth. Christian conceived of the competition as a way to further integrate African-American history into the schools' curricula and as a fun way introduce children to the diversity they are going to live with. Christian believes his greatest contribution in teaching this important part of American history can be made with young children.