In the early hours of February 14, 2000, a 9-year-old girl named Asha Degree disappeared from her home in Shelby, North Carolina. Her disappearance remains unsolved to this day and has captivated the hearts of people nationwide. As an educator, it’s important to teach students about cases like Asha’s to raise awareness, inspire empathy and understanding, and foster hope.
Background on the Asha Degree case:
Asha Degree was last seen by her family members sleeping in her bed around 2:30 AM on February 14, 2000. The weather that night was stormy, with heavy rain and strong winds. Despite this, it is believed that Asha left her home voluntarily, wearing a white dress and carrying her bookbag. Witnesses later confirmed seeing her walking along a nearby highway.
Hours later, after realizing their daughter was missing, Asha’s parents alerted the police and the search began. Despite extensive efforts from law enforcement and the community, Asha remains missing.
Why teaching about Asha Degree is important:
1. Awareness: By discussing cases like Asha’s with your students, you’re helping to spread awareness about missing children in the United States. This increased awareness can inspire people to be more vigilant when it comes to the safety of children in their communities.
2. Empathy and understanding: By bringing up Asha’s story in class, you’re giving your students an opportunity to develop empathy for others who are going through similar experiences. Learning about the struggles these families face is crucial for building understanding and compassion in our society.
3. Hope: Teaching students about unsolved cases like Asha’s encourages them to have hope that someday she may be found. It also provides an opportunity for them to learn about perseverance and determination despite difficult circumstances.
How to teach students about Asha Degree:
1. Begin by providing a brief overview of the case, focusing on the facts that are appropriate for your students’ age.
2. Encourage class discussion about the topic. Ask questions like “How do you think her family felt when they realized she was missing?” and “What do you think motivated her to leave home that night?”
3. Connect the case to a larger context, discussing other missing children cases in the United States. You could also talk about efforts done by organizations like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to find missing kids.
4. Introduce stories of hope and perseverance, such as cases where missing children have been successfully reunited with their families.
5. End by discussing ways students can help spread awareness and support efforts to locate missing children, such as sharing missing child posters on social media or participating in fundraising events for relevant organizations.
By teaching students about Asha Degree’s case, we not only raise awareness but also help cultivate empathy and understanding in the younger generation. By fostering hope in our classrooms, we plant seeds of determination that can inspire our students to become caring and proactive members of society.
