Students and staff pay tribute to Black History Month
Photo by: R. Hill
March 2, 2015
Cypress Ridge hosted a week of performances, trivia and awards in honor of Black History Month. The event was led by paraprofessional Kathy Williamson with help from professional communications teacher and track coach Rebekah Hill.
“Black History is important. African Americans as well as other races need to know about this rich heritage,” Williamson said. “Because of the path laid before us, we have to continue to cultivate the culture. We have come a long way – from slavery to the White House.”
Williamson started an African American Club at Cy-Ridge in 2005. She has led the Black History events at this school since 2004.
Each day during the month of February, students Avery Davis and Darius Warfield delivered Black history facts, provided by Hill, over the morning announcements. Hill researched the accomplishments and contributions of historic and contemporary African Americans.
“With the diverse nature of our student body and staff, it is important to recognize the accomplishments of our collective history,” Hill said. “It is important to look at the past and present so that we can plan for a better future.”
During the final week of February, trivia contest were held during lunches to promote learning and awareness of the extensive contributions of African Americans.
Speech and Debate team members Jazmine Alejos, 11, and Brianna Young, 12, delivered the famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr on Monday, Feb. 23. Both girls previously participated in a competition over historic speeches. Alejos took first place and Young took second.
On Tuesday, Feb. 24, winners of the Famous African-American Poster Contest were announced. Second place winner Apneet Kaur created a poster about inventor Frederick McKinley Jones, who held 40 patents in the field of refrigeration.
Apneet Kaur’s poster about inventor Frederick McKinley Jones won second place in the school’s Famous African American poster contest.
“I chose him because [refrigeration] affects every day life,” Kaur said. She believes celebrating Black History is important because it is a time for appreciation and acknowledgement.
Science department chair Tavares Armstrong critiqued the posters for visual creativity, relevance/ connectivity of the information, overall ease of understanding the message of the poster.
Several guest performances entertained the students during the three lunches in the commons on Feb. 26 and Feb 27. Hip hop and contemporary dancer Nathaniel Jones moved to the beat of inspirational music, and the founder of the Aldine Family Hope Center, Sylvia Bolling, gave a sign language dance performance to the deaf education program.
Grace Williamson, Williamson’s daughter, sang “Break the Shell” by India Arie while Jonathan David-Jones strummed out the song on his guitar. After, David-Jones delivered his spoken word poem about Black History titled “Status Update”.
Jonathan David-Jones delivers his spoken word poem about Black History.
Freshman Paris Lagrone made it a point to speak to both Williamson and David-Jones to complement them on their performances.
Freshman Paris LaGrone thanks the performers for coming to her school.
“It was inspiring. It can touch other people,” Paris said. “It was good for the school.”
Black History may only be emphasized for one month of the year, but the goal of the week, according Hill, was to remind students and staff that Black History will never end, and it is important to recognize, remember and embrace the rich history of all African Americans in the past, present and future.
