Hickman High School students manning the South Africa display at the school’s annual World’s Fair event greeted visitors - including two True/False festival filmmakers - with homemade cornbread and a whiff of aroma from African violet incense.

Don Shrubshell photo

Hickman High School sophomore Dylan Herman waits for teachers to judge his and a fellow classmate’s display on Jordan during the school’s annual World’s Fair event yesterday at the school. Students represented 40 nations.

"When booths have music, food, dancing and smells, that’s what really makes up the culture of a country," sophomore Kevin Hallagan, 15, said. "It’s more interesting than just getting lectured about a country."

Kevin and sophomore Shea Spence, 16, have been learning about Africa in their Advanced Placement world life and literature class. They opted to showcase South Africa during the school fair because the country is profiled in a True/False festival documentary that will be unveiled tomorrow at the True Life Fund Screening at the Missouri Theatre.

Hickman students are among the first to raise money for the True Life Fund, a campaign to raise money for AIDS orphans in South Africa. Students presented British directors Paul Taylor and Teddy Leifer with $500 yesterday and hoped to raise more money during the school day.

Shea said it feels good to be able to help the country she’s been researching. She was also looking forward to meeting Taylor and Leifer as they made their way through the World’s Fair booths. "I can actually talk to them and understand what they’re talking about," she said.

The school partners with the film festival every year, hosting directors and getting kids interested in seeing the documentaries.

"Seeing the international films allows them to take a more serious look at issues," Hickman social studies teacher Jami Thornsberry said. "Once they find out about issues, I would argue, they really do care."

Students at other booths also found ways to connect the World’s Fair to the True/False festival.

Sophomore Stephanie Meyer, 15, hosted a booth on Tibet, piquing her interest in seeing "Buddha’s Lost Children," scheduled tomorrow at the Missouri Theatre. "They add to each other," she said of the school and community events. "I think it’s a cool idea to inform people of things that are going on now in other countries."

The fair proved a cultural lesson for the visiting film directors as well.

"This is the first time I’ve been to an American high school," said Taylor, of London. "It’s similar to the way it’s presented in films."

"I think it’s great," Leifer added. "It gives people a chance to know a little more about places they might not otherwise get to learn about. It’s a positive thing for a school to be doing."

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