Post Tagged with: "Black History Month"

Exploring African American History: Mrs. McCarthy’s 3rd Grade Class Reflects and Dreams

Mrs. McCarthy’s 3rd-grade class participated in a history reading and discussion session about African American History. Students had the opportunity to study many influential African Americans and then share what they learned with each other. Some favorites were Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, Mae Jemison, and Jesse Owens. They will culminate the month with a formal writing piece about Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream and what their dream is for the future. Mrs. McCarthy shared the photos below:

Chapel Speakers, Class Projects, Quiz Contest Help Focus Students on Black History in February

Throughout February, ACS students participated in a variety of special activities for Black History Month. Chapel speakers, classroom assignments, bulletin board displays, and a quiz contest helped spotlight the history, culture, and accomplishments of African-Americans.

On February 2, Rev. Vena Noel-Jackson, a pastor with Yeshua’s Living Word Ministries, was the featured speaker in Middle School Chapel, where she highlighted the accomplishments of two African-American athletes — Ida Keeling and James “Jesse” Owens — and emphasized the importance of celebrating our uniqueness by the power and love of Jesus. Using examples from her own accomplishments as a runner, Rev. Jackson reminded the students that despite our differences – age, race, ability, etc. – we can all run for the same prize in following Jesus. An accomplished seamstress, Rev. Jackson also gave away to the students several hand towels with scripture inscribed on them.

On February 9, Upper School students welcomed chapel speaker and ACS parent Christian Ragland, who spoke on the school’s spiritual emphasis theme — God breathed — based on 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

“I believe the enemy is working overtime with your generation to sow seeds of anger and discontent and to make wrong look right,” Ragland said. “Don’t try to figure out how to solve your problems, but instead allow God to take over, to breathe His Word and His Spirit into your life.” Ragland is the operations pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Pleasantville and is Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at AtlantiCare.

The Black History Month quiz contest ran for two weeks, from February 13-24, and nine African-Americans were highlighted. During morning announcements each day, students were given a question to answer about an influential African-American. The first student in each homeroom to tell their teacher the correct answer was entered into a contest to win a dress-down pass. The correct answer and a short biography of that person were read over the intercom into every classroom at the end of each day.

Some of the quiz questions and answers were:

Question: Who were the first two African-American quarterbacks to play in the same Super Bowl? Answer: Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes
Question: Who was the first African-American to win a Nobel Prize? Answer: Ralph Johnson Bunche
Question: Who was the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award for best actress? Answer: Halle Berry

The students who correctly answered the quiz questions and received dress down passes were:  in Elementary — Layla Aspenberg, Abigail Brunda, Milo Cirigliano Jeremiah Diaz, Allison Eachus, Alexia Gay, Sofia Huezo, Olivia Kuchmek, Erik Macpherson, Selah Melody, Myla Montemurro, Robert O’Donoghue, Addison Rawlings, Michael Saad, Ceci Tormey, Jordan Vielma, Hunter Wolcott, and John Wolcott; in Middle School — Josiah Christmon, Malani Christmon, Kiara Loo, Finn Maxwell, Layla McCarthy, Malena Meyer, Luca Sullivan, and Nathaneal Thompson; and in High School — Cruz Lewis, Zachary Fosbenner, Isaac Kelley, Evangelina Kim, Reyna Lewis, Michael Markert, Seth Phillips, and Jeriko Thomas.

Throughout the month, classroom lessons and projects highlighted the historical contributions of various of African-Americans and some of these projects were displayed in the first floor hallways. In the 2nd grade classes, students learned about the life and contributions of George Washington Carver. Mrs. Hockenberry’s class created a mosaic of his portrait and Mrs. Brossman’s and Ms. Leach’s classes completed a biography sheet on Carver.

Mrs. McCarthy’s 3rd grade class completed a project inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s memorable “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.  A hallway wall display, entitled “Martin’s Dream was Big and So is Mine,” featured student essays about Dr. King and their own dreams for the future. Students in Mrs. Huff’s 3rd grader studied the life of civil rights activist Ruby Bridges and their hallway display highlighted a quote from Mrs. Bridges describing the lesson that she said Dr. King tried to teach us all — “Never judge people by the color of their skin. God makes each of us unique in ways that go much deeper.”

 

Class Projects, Chapel Speaker, Trivia Contest Help Focus Students on Black History

Throughout February, ACS students from preschool to high school participated in a variety of special activities and class projects for Black History Month. Bulletin boards, library displays, classroom assignments, and a trivia contest during morning announcements helped shine a spotlight on the history, culture, and accomplishments of Black Americans.

The quiz contest ran for two weeks in February and a total of 8 African Americans were highlighted as well as a quiz question on the 13th amendment. Students were told a fact about an influential Black American and were able to qualify to win a prize by being the first to find their Principal and correctly identify that person. Information about the noteworthy individuals and the 13th amendment were displayed on a large bulletin board in the Multi-Purpose Room.

On February 3, Elementary and Upper School students welcomed chapel speaker Christian Ragland, who spoke on the Biblical principles around diversity and inclusion. “Jesus lived by example and taught us to be kind to each other and to love our neighbors as ourselves,” Ragland said. “If you want to be God’s ambassador, you should not make assumptions about others because they are different from you. Ask questions and find ways to use what makes someone different to benefit the whole.” Ragland is the operations pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Pleasantville and is Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at AtlantiCare.

 

A variety of classroom lessons and projects highlighted the historical contributions of African Americans and celebrated God’s plan for creating unity from diversity. Below are examples of some of these projects.

 

 

ACS Students Celebrate Black History Month

Throughout February, ACS students participated in a variety of special activities for Black History Month. Bulletin boards, library displays, classroom assignments, and a quiz contest during morning announcements helped shine a spotlight on the history, culture, and accomplishments of Black Americans.

The quiz contest ran for two weeks in February and a total of 9 African Americans were highlighted. Students were told a fact about an influential Black American and were able to win a prize by being the first to find their Principal and correctly identify that person.

Congratulations to the 10 students who were contest winners: 8th grader Isabel Alford, 4th grader Vaughn Burgan, 3rd grader Megan Connolly,  3rd grader Anthem Correa, 4th grader Brantley Haltom, 5th grader Solia Pecou, 3rd grader Luke Sabulao, 8th grader Jayden Sanchez, and 7th grader Stephanie Valdes. The students received a dress down pass as their prize.

Student winners of the February Black History Month Quiz Contest.

Some of the quiz questions and answers were:

Question: Who was the first Black American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court? Answer: Thurgood Marshall
Question: In 1968, who was the first Black American woman to serve in the U.S. Congress?  Answer: Shirley Chisholm
Question: Who was the first Black American woman to get a pilot’s license?  Answer: Bessie Coleman

A short biography and photo of the 9 Black Americans featured in the contest are on display in a first floor school hallway. Bulletin boards in other hallways are also decorated in honor of historically significant Black Americans, like composer Duke Ellington, who was featured on the Music Room bulletin board.

Classroom lessons and projects highlighted the historical contributions of Black Americans. In Mr. Tardif’s 4th grade class students read biographies of Black Americans and in the Early Education Center stories of Black Americans were incorporated weekly into story time.

ACS Students Celebrate Black History Month

Throughout February, ACS students are participating in a variety of special activities for Black History Month. A new, daily quiz contest was launched this Monday, February 10 during morning announcements with students being told a fact about an influential African American and being able to win a prize by being the first to find their principal and correctly identify that person.

The quiz contest is continuing to the end of February and a total of 13 African Americans will have been highlighted. Six students in elementary through high school were this week’s contest winners: 5th grader Julian Calloway, 9th grader Jake DeNick, 9th grader Hunter Jorgenson, 3rd grader Nora Sawaid, 7th grader Ruth Oke, and 9th grader Caleb Vogel. The winners are receiving a dress down pass as the prize. This week’s questions and answers were:

  • Question: Who was the first African American woman to travel into space? Answer: Mae Carol Jemison;
  • Question: Now an NFL quarterback, this African American initially played college football and college baseball at Texas Tech University. Answer: Patrick Lavon Mahomes II;
  • Question: This African American inventor is best known for being awarded a patent for automatically opening and closing elevator doors. Answer: Alexander Miles;
  • Question: This African American woman was the 66th U.S. Secretary of State, under the administration of President George W. Bush. Answer: Condoleezza Rice.

A short biography and a photo of the 13 African Americans featured in the contest are being hung in the school hallway near the Multi-Purpose Room. Hallway bulletin boards in other hallways are also decorated in honor of historically significant African Americans like Harriet Tubman and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Classroom lessons and projects are also highlighting the historical contributions of African Americans as well as the social accomplishments of those who led the civil rights movement. 

A hallway bulletin board in our Early Education/Elementary first floor hallway decorated for Black History Month with a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Class Projects, Special Chapel Speaker Celebrate Black History Month

Throughout February, ACS students participated in a variety of special activities for Black History Month. Hallway bulletin boards were decorated in honor of influential African Americans like Harriet Tubman and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Classroom lessons and projects highlighted historical contributions of African Americans as well as the social accomplishments of those who led the civil rights movement. Students in Mrs. Coates sixth grade history class discussed turn-of-the-century discrimination and the development of Jim Crow laws in the South while her eighth graders studied landmark Supreme Court cases, like Brown vs. Board of Education, which led to the end of school segregation.

Elementary and upper school students welcomed special guest speaker Vena R. Noel-Jackson who spoke in each chapel on Friday. Her lively presentations covered the origins of Black History Month, significant contributions of African Americans throughout history, and encouragement about God’s plan for creating unity from diversity. Using examples from her own accomplishments as a runner, Mrs. Jackson reminded the ACS family that despite our differences – age, race, ability, etc. – we can all run for the same prize in following Jesus. “My Prayer is that we celebrate our uniqueness by the power of the love of Jesus,” she said. “Whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God.”

 

 

 

4th Graders Hear First-Hand Account of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Life and Work

ACS 4th grade students had the unique opportunity this week to learn about the important work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King as a key leader in the civil rights movement from an ACS grandparent who met and interviewed Dr. King in the 1960s.  February is Black History Month and 4th grade teacher Eric Tardif invited Mr. John Frasier, who is 4th grader Xavier Johnson’s grandfather, to speak to the students on Thursday about his encounter with Dr. King and the impact of his work.

Mr. Frasier, who lives in Atlantic City, had a 34-year-long career in broadcasting and had the memorable opportunity as a reporter with radio station KPRS-AM in Kansas City to interview Dr. King in 1963.  Mr. Frasier showed the students a framed newspaper article from 1963 with a photo of him with Dr. King and a paper containing Dr. King’s autograph. “Dr. King believed in peaceful resistance and that’s what made him so different,” said Mr. Frasier. “He prayed and spoke about us all being together as one.”  Mr. Frasier talked about Dr. King’ s life-long efforts to eliminate segregation and racist policies in America, working tirelessly until his assassination in 1968. “As I look around this classroom and see the many students sitting together here from different ethnicities I can tell you that you are what Dr. King lived and died for; you are his dream come true,” Mr. Frasier said.