Founders of the Jordan Lake Sudbury School (JLSS) will be presenting their ideas about democratic free education at a local event sponsored by the Raleigh chapter of Pecha Kucha on Tuesday, March 23 at 8:20 p.m.

Pecha Kucha is a format for presenting new ideas and creative projects in communities across the globe.

The concept was developed in Tokyo in 2003 as a way of structuring formal business presentations in the architectural field so that they presented the creativity and dynamics of a project without getting bogged down in the details. The concept has evolved into a massive celebration of the creativity and ideas that abound in every community, with events occurring in hundreds of cities around the world all focused on creative endeavors in every walk of life.

Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of conversation (“chit chat”), the Pecha Kucha concept rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It’s a format that makes presentations concise, keeps things moving at a rapid pace, and exposes the audience to a number of novel ideas in a relatively brief period of time. Meaningful PechaKucha presentations are the ones that uncover the unexpected — unexpected talent, unexpected ideas.

The Pecha Kucha chapter in Raleigh (including Durham, Chapel Hill and surrounding areas) is holding its second “Pecha Kucha Night” at The Brick in Raleigh, which will offer its regular menu of food and spirits before, during, and after the presentations. The doors will open at 7:30 p.m. for refreshments and social networking. The event is free, but audience members must register to attend. Space is limited. To register or to see a list and description of all the presenters for the March 23 event, please consult www.pknraleigh.com. To learn more about the global Pecha Kucha organization, visit www.pecha-kucha.org.

Lynanne Fowle, Sherri Bauer, and Lena Hurst from JLSS will be presenting a 20x20 presentation about educational models that promote personal responsibility and self-initiated student learning. This is a novel concept in North Carolina and one that Fowle, Bauer, and Hurst believe best prepares students to be leaders and competent decision-makers.

For more information about this event, or about Jordan Lake Sudbury School, please consult the school’s website at www.jordanlakesudbury.org or call Sherri Bauer at (919) 349-1649. Enrollment is open for the 2010-2011 school year at the new facility on North Salem Street in Apex, but space is limited and applications received after April 30th will be placed into a lottery system.