NEWS TIP – Home Ec Centennial, Sept. 25-27, 2003

Feature Story Opportunity
for
Washington State University
Home Economics Centennial Celebration

September 25-27, 2003

When American Girl, a publisher and doll marketer, decided to include an American Indian in its series of period books and associated dolls and accessories, the company searched for five years to select a tribe. Ann McCormack-Adams, a Nez Perce who graduated from Washington State University in 1997 with a home economics degree, helped American Girl choose her tribe’s culture as the basis for the ninth character in the company’s line of girls’ literature. Then McCormack-Adams, Pullman, who is employed by the tribe, helped American Girl develop the character, Kaya, an imaginary Nez Perce woman who lived in 1764, before the tribe encountered Caucasians. McCormack- Adams says the character and culture of the book “Kaya,” are authentic to the Nez Perce during the period in which it is set.

The first book was published in 2002. Today, American Girl markets six books based on Kaya, an authentic Kaya doll and many accessories. McCormack-Adams said Kaya is one of eight girl characters in the American Girl collection that stresses authenticity of time, place and culture.

McCormack-Adams says the American Girl series is highly popular with educators and parents. Kaya has been very successful in its first year. For more details, please visit: http://www.americangirlstore.com

McCormack-Adams will speak at the centennial program Friday (Sept. 26) on the WSU Campus. Her topic will be on the role of dolls and play in brain development. You may telephone her for an interview at 208/843-7409 (W) or 509/332-4039 (H). McCormack-Adams works for the tribe, in Lapwai.

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