The Varnett School Northeast concluded its Black History Month celebration with a program and parade. The program was on Tuesday, February 20, 2018, and carried the theme Our Origins.
Pre-kindergarten students were dressed in Kente cloth, which Mrs. Jacqueline Hines made, and they sang The Negro National Anthem. Kindergarten represented important African Americans in history and first graders recited a poem about Harriet Tubman by Langston Hughes. Our awesome second-grade team did a tribute to Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott.
Varnett's Northeast choir led by Ms. Scarlette Swanson was composed of students in grades 3 through 6 as they recounted the history of the Tuskegee Airmen. Fourth-graders recited a poem and talked about the origin of the African drum.
On February 22, 2018, we held our Annual Black Heritage Day Parade. All grade levels participated. The prekindergarten team made masks and first graders wore hats they made for the first 100 days of school. Each second-grade team had its own theme.
Ms. Karen Wells’ homeroom represented the women in the movie Hidden Figures. Mrs. Susan Cutillo's third graders were American proud as they represented the red, white and blue and African American Olympians. Mrs. Kathline Wells’ class represented Black Panthers and carried posters depicting the movie.
The parade was a huge success and our own Varnett Northeast dance team performed as well.
Hats off to our Black History Program committee led by Mrs. Lisa Reed-Richards.
Ms. Toni Fisher
Director, The Varnett School Northeast
Photos by Ms. Alisha M. Thomas, second-grade teacher