Peach celebrates with North Arlington community
Black History Month didn’t end quietly at Peach Elementary. The school held one of its biggest programs of the year last week to wrap up the month with singing, dancing and a big celebration.
“It was a beautiful, community-filled night as the north Arlington community came together to celebrate Black History Month, support students and learn about how to improve academic growth on our campus,” said Peach principal Ayesha Ramos.
Peach’s Navy and Gold Choir, step team and cheerleaders were joined by Sherrod Elementary School’s step team and the Nichols Junior High Iconic Steppers for a lively performance.
And Peach’s sixth graders gave everyone inspirational history lessons during their wax museum. The students impersonated influential African Americans and presented their research on these important historical figures.
Butler Elementary gets to the heart of Black history
Butler Elementary’s Black History Month celebration culminated last week, too, with a performance from the Butler Star Choir for students and parents, led by music teacher Teresa Francis. 
And Butler teachers Brittany Lee and Tra Kelly kept a seven-year tradition alive, creating their annual Black History month display in the cafeteria.
This year, they set out to make the display interactive and pair it with the school’s theme of showing kindness to others.
“My hope was that the students would choose a person from our Black figures wall and write about how that person inspired them,” Lee said. “I also encouraged students to write about how they could show kindness or bravery like some of the Black figures displayed.”
Students wrote their thoughts on paper hearts about how people like Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou and Ruby Bridges inspired them. Then they posted the hearts on the cafeteria wall.
Teagan, a sixth grader, wrote on his heart, “George Washington Carver inspires me to keep imagining new ideas and to do your best to do your part in helping the world.”
Another student, Julia, shared how Duke Ellington inspires her.
“Duke Ellington inspires me because he was a pianist and composer and I want to learn how to play piano,” she wrote. “I also like learning about instruments and music.”
Lee was proud of the students for thinking critically and sharing how they can make a difference.
“I truly believe it is important for our students to learn about others outside of their culture and family so that they can develop empathy and show kindness for their neighbors in this world,” Lee said.