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Students
celebrate with cannoli, salsas
PHS students
kick-off Black History Month
"Lord, Lord, why did you make me black?" Kimberly Borris asked aloud
Feb. 2. "Why did you make me someone the world wants to hold back?
"Lord, I just don't understand; What is it about my skin?" the high
school junior continued reading to her audience. "Why do some people
want to hate me and not know the person within?"
"Why did I make you black? Why did I make you black?" her school
adviser, Lenora Keel, echoed back in prose by RuNett Nia Ebo.
"All the colors of a Heavenly Rainbow can be found throughout every
nation," Ms. Keel pronounced. "And when all those colors were blended
well, you became my greatest creation."
This poem — read to an intimate gathering of students, educators and
parents at Princeton High School — was one of a dozen events
celebrating ethnicity, history, race and culture at Wednesday night's
Celebrate Diversity to kick off Black History Month.
But the evening lineup showcased more than just black culture; it
exhibited a wide range of cultural heritage and tradition.
One student, for example, played Irish folk tunes on a tin whistle.
Two others performed an Indian drumming sequence. And while some told
ethnic fables from France and Spain, the dance troupe Pasión Latina
performed a series of fiery salsa and Merengue numbers.
Food tables set up around the cafeteria also reflected the evening's
diversity theme, offering edibles like dumplings from Asia, cannoli
from Italy and pumpkin pie from the soul food category.
"It's wonderful to celebrate the richness of cultural heritage and
diversity in Princeton," event organizer and French teacher Sheila
MacRae said. "Princeton is not a standard American community."
Neither is Princeton High School. A look at school demographics
reveals the student body is 11 percent black, 13 percent Asian, 8
percent Hispanic and 68 percent Caucasian.
"Seventeen percent of our students claim one of 38 languages other
than English as their first language," reads a profile of PHS, written
by Principal Gary Snyder.
"Celebrating diversity is important," Mr. Snyder said. "But we're
living diversely every day. It's not a special event, it is the
school."
A look at the month ahead reveals a smattering of events reflecting
this type of diverse living: a speaker from Sudan, a student skit on
black history and a visit from a civil rights expert and author.
Buttons, bookmarks and lollypops with phrases like "Celebrate our
History Past and Present" will be available for sale in school
hallways. The school's daily bulletin will include a black history
"fact of the day." And throughout the month, a bookcase in school will
be full of books, dolls and information about black history.
But according to Mr. Snyder, exercises in diversity are part of an
ongoing conversation at PHS.
"We do a lot in the curriculum. It's interwoven into daily
activities," he said. "We have a course on African history. All social
studies courses touch upon diversity. In all department studies and
textbooks, it's always an objective to make them diverse."
Ms. MacRae, who covers French-speaking Africa in her French class,
agreed with Principal Snyder's assessment.
"There are a lot of very committed teachers in this school. We all
approach it from different angles," Ms. MacRae said. "Social studies
and history classes all tackling issues of diversity."
But some students wish there could be more emphasis on — and
opportunities related to — cultural diversity.
"I'd like to learn a lot more about black history in class," student
Kimberly Borris said. "I'd like to see a lot more diversity around
Princeton."
"I think more could be done," junior Surein Theivakumar echoed. "Only
a few cultures have clubs," he said, able to cite only Asian and
Indian groups off the top of his head.
"I think in terms of student relations, the school is doing fine,"
Ross Harriss said. "But the school could be a lot more not
segregated."
It was precisely that notion that motivated Ms. MacRae to organize the
Celebrate Diversity program.
"It's about the perception of being one community," Ms. MacRae said.
"We need to feel as if we are 'us' rather than 'he or she.'"
To this end, Caroline Mitchell, the school district's parent community
liaison and a member of the Minority Education Committee, called for
more events celebrating cultural diversity.
"This event is very wonderful," she said. "And it's important for
highlighting the history and contributions of African Americans. But
it's also a chance to bring other cultures that don't get recognized
by a separate month."
"It's more meaningful if we can continue it throughout the year,"
Superintendent Judith Wilson said in earlier conversation.
"We keep talking about race in a negative light," Ms. MacRae said,
citing the ongoing youth-violence situation in Princeton. "I wanted to
talk about it in a positive light. I think we were successful in that
tonight."
Date published: 2/11/2005
- The Cranbury Press
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