Led by Germantown Academy's Diversity and Community Life Coordinators, Leigh Serra, Sarah Na, Sharifa Kelly, Jarrett Anderson, Jay Wright, Carol Ayers and Kendra Grinnage, Black History Month celebrations can be seen in every division of our school. As outlined below, the DCLCs worked to create a variety of learning opportunities for students and faculty alike to remember that Black History is American History.
- Lower School DCLCs shared a few videos with faculty to assist with teaching students the history behind Black History Month, as well as why GA celebrates Black History Month as a school.
- After learning from lead teachers and specialists about different African-Americans throughout history and today to include scientists, authors, artists, mathematicians, doctors/nurses, and musicians. Lower School students are creating a presentation to share during the March 1 Black History Month assembly.
- The Lower School physical education teachers will also use the month of February to highlight the achievements of less celebrated African-American coaches and athletes during their PE classes.
- The Middle School will be recognizing and celebrating Black History Month with various programming during Design Day, assemblies, morning meetings, and clubs. On Design Day (February 20), students will be screening Hidden Figures before tackling problem-solving activities that will engage with the theme of the film while promoting empathy and team-building.
- During the February 6 assembly, the Middle School welcomed Dance4Nia, a Philadelphia-based modern dance company, the mission of which is to promote dance as a means for positive social and cultural change. On February 13, Mykal-Michele Longino '18 gave a presentation about her experience as an African-American student at GA.
- Upper School's Black Student Alliance hosted the annual Black History Celebration for the GA community last week, and will host its ever-popular Black History Jeopardy for students and faculty twice during February.
- A number of Upper School teachers from various disciplines will be leading lunchtime conversations with fellow teachers and Upper School students. Head of School Rich Schellhas led the way with a lively discussion about the very compelling book "Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge." Later this month Carol Ayers and Dr. Lyn Lemaire will host "Afro-Caribbean Cultures," while Brent Freedland will ponder the question, Why "Black History" and Not Just History? Judy Krouse 1760 will lead a discussion on Black Women in History, and the month will finish with a talk about Black Leaders in Stem Cell Research with Nina Butler-Roberts, and a History of Jazz Music with Charlie Masters, Antoinette Peters and Kendra Grinnage.
We will end Black History Month with a talk from Colson Whitehead, the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Underground Railroad, during assembly periods for Middle and Upper School students and an open reading and Q&A for GA community members on February 27.