Hundreds of students, teachers, staff members, family members, local dignitaries and community residents along with members of the Board of Education and administration filed into Freeport High School's auditorium on Feb. 28 for the district's second annual Black History Month celebration.
The event opened with a warm welcome from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kishore Kuncham and Freeport High School Principal Linda Carter. "For over half a century, we have united together each February to celebrate the history and achievements of African Americans, along with their contributions which have made our country so great," stated Dr. Kuncham. "Without their extraordinary contributions, our country never would have become the land of the free and the home of the brave and the country that we as Americans love and cherish quite dearly today. Our future is full of opportunities and challenges. As such, we should not only applaud the contributions of African Americans in our nation's history, but join together to help their successes continue," he added. The program began with a dance performance from the Archer Street Dance Troupe and a pantomime production from Bayview Avenue School of Arts and Sciences second-graders. "This evening is a celebration, commemoration and tribute to those individuals who have made major contributions to our society for all of us in a myriad of different ways," stated Mrs. Carter. "To honor these individuals, we have our own very talented students from every single school in the district."
After the opening remarks and performances from Freeport's elementary children, students from Leo F. Giblyn School, New Visions School of Exploration and Discovery, Caroline G. Atkinson Intermediate School, J.W. Dodd Middle School and Freeport High School delivered dazzling choral selections that earned loud applause from the audience.
The event's theme was "Celebrating the African-American Impact on Our World," and Black History Month artwork was on display in the Freeport High School atrium. Leo F. Giblyn first-grade art students under the direction of Juliette Mason created the artwork, "African Kente Cloth."
