On January 29th, culminating a month-long series of activities to learn about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., students from Horace Porter School in Columbia, all of whom were born decades after Dr. King lived and died, gathered in an assembly to share what they learned. The assembly was part of a first-time collaboration between the school leadership and CoDE’s Columbia team.
As part of learning about Dr. King, the school chose to focus on his principle of courage. Area residents from the Columbia Writing Connection and CoDE spoke to each of the grades about a personal story of courage. Storytellers included CoDE president Althea Carr and Columbia team members Sue Hudd and Rhonda Kincaid.
Then the students worked on art or writing projects to share what they learned, reflecting on what Dr. King’s life and beliefs mean in their lives today. During the assembly, younger students shared how they showed courage during a thunderstorm or nightmare. Older students described courage in terms of standing up for themselves or others, speaking out for fairness or acting with empathy.
Students also heard from Patricia Wilson Pheanious, former state legislator, state social services commissioner and professor, and current executive director of the Witness Stones Project. She shared her thoughts about growing up during the civil rights movement and about how much has changed for the good and how much still needs to be done.
The students’ writings and artwork were displayed at the school, and samples, along with quotes from the stories of courage, were then displayed at the Columbia Senior Center during February in celebration of Black History Month.
It took a village for this project to be so successful! Kudos to Rhonda Kincaid, Columbia CoDE team leader, and CoDE Columbia team members: Carol Coley, Sue Hudd, Susan Spiggle, and Pat Shimchick; to Horace Porter School Principal Kara Levanduski and Vice Principal Amy Stino; to all the teachers at Porter school; to the Columbia Writing Connection and the storytellers who shared their stories of courage; and to the students who took this assignment so seriously and were brave enough to share their projects in front of the entire student body.
