AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
March 4, 2016
Black History Month festivities feature celebrity food truck owners, TRIVIA, movie buyout, AND many other activities By Eric Hall Hall830@lex2.org Every February is Black History Month, and this year was no exception. The AHS Black History Committee, co-chaired by Mrs. Hightower and Ms. Jefferson, pulled off an excellent assembly with additional activities sprinkled throughout the month. The assembly itself was, of course, the most noticeable part of the celebration. Students gathered into the auditorium in two groups, running an AM double-assembly schedule, on Tuesday, February 23. The assembly began with some opening remarks by student cochair Melanie Sands, who elucidated the setting, themes, and ideas of this year’s Black History Month topic, Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memory. The word “hallowed” means something that is admired and respected, usually because it is old or important. In other words, this year’s theme for Black History Month, determined by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), was all about recognizing important places in the canon of Black History, both good and bad. The assembly continued with some of the participant students
PHOTO: AHS Student News Dr. Brooks introduces guest speakers and celebrity food truck owners Corey Simmons & Ramone Dickerson, who spoke to students regarding the importance of failure as an often necessary step to success.
dressed up as famous people such as Harriet Tubman, Dr. Charles Drew, Jackie Roberson, Venus Williams, and Michael P. Anderson. The students who dressed as these important figures wore costumes all day and gave clues about who they were for everyone else to try and guess. This was followed by a song by the Honors Chorus and students in Mrs. Hightower and Mrs. Kish’s classes. Next was an amazing duet of the song “Amazing Grace,” sung
by Ms. Torres from the Guidance Department and Mrs. Jefferson, a science teacher new to AHS this year. After the duet was an outstanding performance by drill team members Edwin Torres and Robbie Sterky. Their twisting and twirling of rifles combined with beat-like marching movements was met with high satisfaction and applause from the audience. Continued on p. 2