New curriculum aims to teach history of Clovis

The famous Gateway to the Sierras sign hangs above Clovis Avenue in Old Town Clovis. (Ron Sundquist/Clovis Roundup)

During a joint meeting between the Clovis City Council and Clovis Veterans Memorial District board, councilmember Vong Mouanoutoua brought up the idea of providing a curriculum which would teach the history of Clovis.

That idea, now known as Clovis 101, is in the process of being implemented.

CVMD CEO Lorenzo Rios said Clovis 101 is an extension of Clovis Heritage Center, a project that the memorial district has embarked on to provide a space where artifacts from the community are available for display and education.

Rios said Mouanoutoua came up with the idea of Clovis 101 because he noticed there are many people that are coming into town that don’t know what makes Clovis so special.

“[Mouanoutoua] said it would be a great idea to have a Clovis 101 that reminds people what makes this community great,” Rios said. “My board embraced that idea and said that is a fantastic idea.”

Rios said CVMD is working with the Clovis Unified School District Adult School to incorporate the idea.

“We’re developing a committee that develops the curriculum,” Rios said. “Still working on the details, but we’re looking at the adult school serving as the lead who provides the instruction.”

Rios added that the CVMD would work closely with the adult school so different sections of the curriculum is covered with exhibits that are made available at the Heritage Center.

“The students who go through the Clovis 101 program would also have the opportunity to serve as docents who can then serve as the subject matter experts who share the stories of what makes this community so great,” Rios said.

Rios said the Heritage Center is also working with the Clovis Historical Society to provide advisory and perspective.

“We will also be sharing exhibits,” Rios said. “We will be working collaboratively to have some of their exhibits shown at the heritage center.”

Clovis 101 will give people an opportunity to see multiple perspectives of the community history and lineage, Rios said.

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