3/6/08
MECC students put on a show and celebrate Black History Month
By Eric Goold

Eric Goold/Manning Times

Children in Mrs. Robertha Harrison’s class at the Manning Early Childhood Center perform a song and dance last Friday morning during a program celebrating Black History Month.

The children at the Manning Early Childhood Center got a special treat last Friday morning and also displayed their many talents in a presentation that honored what they’ve learned during Black History Month.

“We’ve all been working hard the past month,” said Principal Betty Harrington in her remarks before the show started. “We’ve studied significant African Americans in history and in the country and today we’re going to put on a little show about them.”

Four teachers at MECC (Colonda Lee, Particia Moyd, Dorothy Mathis and Rosalin Blair) formed a committee to work on the presentation and figured out how best to put it on. Several different classes and many different students participated.

They gave readings, they talked about famous African Americans, they sang songs and they did some dancing. It’s not an official MECC function if there’s not at least a little dancing.

Karen Washington, the music teacher at MECC, helped the children learn the National Black Anthem as well as the Black History Cheer, the famous, “I’m Free and I’m Proud!” song.

“I thought the program was a great success,” said Mrs. Lee shortly after the presentation ended with all the children shouting out the Black History Cheer. “It’s important for the children to know about their heritage. It’s a vital part of American history.”

After the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Black Anthem (the song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”) opened the show, the children moved into a discussion of Martin Luther King Jr. and his famous “I Have A Dream” speech.

First-grader Antronia Campbell, one of the youngsters from Mrs. Lee’s class who helped lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, said that was her favorite part.

“I had a lot of fun in the show,” said Campbell. “We learned about when Martin Luther King died and our teachers taught us a lot about Black History.”

Up next on the stage was Mrs. Robertha Harrison’s class, nicely decked out in white shirts and black ties for their rendition of, “We are Different and the Same.”

More songs were sung and the children made presentations about famous inventions by African Americans like the mop, the clock and peanut butter.

The finish of the show was a wonderful version of “Lean on Me,” and a chance for all the children to shout, “I’m Free and I’m Proud!” during the Black History Cheer under the leadership of Mrs. Rosa Stokes.

First-grader Jaylan Walker enjoyed that last bit the most.

“I loved singing I’m free,” said Walker. “It was fun. I liked it when we got to sing.”

It was the perfect way to complete the celebration of Black History Month, with children on their feet and singing joyfully in front of a packd cafeteria at MECC.