![Benjamin Williams and Reese Sherman, social studies teachers, explain department information a guest. "This [open house] was, for me, a great opportunity to meet family in the district that will soon be attending the high school," Williams said.](https://www.utimesonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/DSC_9117-1200x800.jpg)
Students organize black history assembly
February 27, 2017
To celebrate Black History Month, Yul Amerson, social studies teacher, and students held a last-minute assembly on Feb. 28 during seminar. Several students read monologues from Robert F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Coretta Scott King and other important figures. Also, Aliyah Mitchell, freshman, Mya Williams, junior, Zahrya Metcalfe, junior, Essence Brown, junior, and Dasha Bland sang the black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and Raven Bullard, senior, also performed with accompaniment from the jazz band.
“As I was told, it was my responsibility as the STUCO sponsor to put on this assembly and I really enjoyed it,” said Amerson. “It was really a 50/50 collaboration between the students and I.”
At any rate the overall presentation had to be shortened a bit because of some technical and scheduling difficulties.
The Golden Girls were originally supposed to perform, but because of the space that was taken up by “The Addams Family” set, the dance had to be canceled. Also, some members of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity were supposed to come and talk about what it was like when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was in the fraternity, but this as well got canceled due to scheduling conflicts.
“The date of the presentation kept moving and I was afraid to ask them to change what day they came again,” said Amerson.
In the end, Amerson was very proud of all the students who helped out and participated in the assembly. He hopes that this assembly helped to call attention to Black History Month and wants more people to participate and be involved in the future.
One of the students who participated was Annie Rhoades, freshman, who also has high hopes for the future of these assemblies. “I hope it’ll show more black history,” said Rhoades. “We’ve always learned so much about Dr. King for so many years, but there’s so much more than just Dr. King that needs to be taught.”
Amerson says that there are already big plans that are in the works for future assemblies, but he says that it will all remain confidential for the time being.
