By SHERRY DIGMON
News Publisher
Through songs, skits, dance and recitations, students at Rachel Patterson Elementary School celebrated Black History Monday, February 28. The theme of the program was African History Is American History, presented by the second grade.
Jehle Poindexter acted as Directress of Order and extended the Welcome to everyone. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Zaya Henderson, Aubrey Holland, Arlaysia Pete, and Khloe Richardson.
Short bios were presented by the following students: Ruby Bridges by Nevaeh Mix; Rosa Parks by Jah’Liyah Dawson; Martin Luther King Jr. by Montez Riley; President Abraham Lincoln by Syler Fularz; and President Barak Obama by Major Walker.
In a skit titled “Get to the Back of the Bus,” students reenacted Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on a city bus and her subsequent arrest.
Second-graders sang “All Night, All Day” and “This Little Light of Mine” under the direction of music teacher Phrann Fountain.
Several students participated in a recitation of “Hey Black Child, a poem by Useni Perkins.
Following a short history of the song “Kumbaya, My Lord” by second-grade teacher Ryan Dean, students sang as he accompanied on a drum.
A special guest performance was a dance by The I Am Kingdom Dancers. Some of them are now middle school students who attended Rachel Patterson.
RP Principal Toya McMillian closed with remarks, saying she felt so blessed to have the program again after cancelling it for the past two years due to Covid-19. She was happy to report Monday morning that no staff members and no students were out of school due to Covid.
Students who participated in skits and the poetry recitation are Lyric Allen, Brayleigh Staples, Cesar Rivas Rodiguez, Kambrie Hudson, Evan Lewis, Tyler Ivery, Kylee Barron, Ashanti Boyd, Za’Kiyah Boykin, Maison Curry, Castophney Dailey, Zylus Davidson, Hezekiah George, Melvin Gibbs, Kayveon Johnson, Jayceon Lyons, Kaydenx Lyons, Kayden Mobley, Aaliyah Pate, Summer Reed, Noah Rice, Layla Riley, Serenity Tucker, Shedrick’onna Walker, Cordarious Blackmon, Ahnara Brown, Teyana Brown, Arlayzia Dailey, N’Vaeh Howard, Aydin Jefferson, Savelon Johnson, LaBryson McCall, Logan Phillips, Moriah Rodgers, Morgan Rodgers, London Stephens.