UPDATE, 2/29/24, 7:21 p.m.: Black History Month came to a rousing end on Thursday at Sto-Rox Jr./Sr. High School with the SOUL (Showcasing Our Unique Legacy) Day Celebration. Led by the Culture Club, the event included a meet-and-greet with community providers in the gymnasium that included games, activities, and prizes. Students who collected and saved enough RAISE tickets (earned by showcasing positive “RAISE” behavior in and out the classroom) were able to attend. Inside the auditorium, the celebration included African drumming with Larry Jr. and Marshall West - and several students who tried their hands at it - plus performances by the Sto-Rox Cheerleaders and Dominik Daniels from the Gamma Lambda Sigma Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, a historically Black fraternity. 7th and 8th grade students were also awarded for their Level Up projects, which were on display in the auditorium lobby, along with works by Sto-Rox Art Club students. Works included a community piece where students were each encouraged to place a black thumbprint of paint to fill out the image.
Sto-Rox Culture Club
Founders
• District Social Worker/Therapist Alex Gariepy
• School Counselor Nicole Reed
Youth Committee
• Kristian Fuller
• Jaya Elerby
• Cece Mason
• Eve Barrow
• Osei Smith
• Asya'nae White
• Amoryi Green
Meanwhile, the final edition of the ‘What’s The Tea?’ Black leadership speaker series at the Jr./Sr. High School took place on Wednesday and featured Cecelia Ware, Executive Director of Infinite Lifestyle Solutions. The discussion revolved around the importance that physical health is mental health, the stigma of mental health issues in the Black community, and coping strategies.
UPDATE, 2/27/24: We are delighted that School Board President Cameron Culliver was one of the people featured in Pittsburgh's Black History, an annual special program produced by WPXI-TV. Check out Cameron's story at the 17-minute mark!
LINK: Pittsburgh’s Black History (WPXI-TV)
LINK: Sto-Rox School Board
UPDATE. 2/23/24, 4:30p.m.: Black History Month events continued all this week at the Primary Center and the Upper Elementary. On Tuesday and Thursday, students at the Primary Center got to have breakfast with family members, took part in activities and performed songs in honor of Black History Month.
Photo Gallery: Primary Center Black History Events (2/20, 2/22)
Meanwhile, Black History Month culminated Friday at the Upper Elementary with performances by the SRUE Beginner Band, poems read by students, and performances by each grade level and the SRUE Chorus. Check out photos from that event - and check back for more photos and videos from February!
Photo Gallery: Upper Elementary Black History Month Event (2/23)
UPDATE, 2/16/24: Check out the flyers (below) showcasing Black History Month events taking place toward the end of the month at the Jr./Sr. High School. Spirit Week will run for four days from Monday, February 26 to Thursday, February 29. There will be theme days each day, including Unity Day - featuring class colors - on Tuesday, February 27 and a “Black Out” on Thursday, which is also the day of the school’s SOUL Day. SOUL stands for Showcasing Our Unique Legacy and will be a two-hour celebration of Black history, accomplishments and achievements. Watch this space for more updates throughout February!
UPDATE, 2/14/24: Each Wednesday, for the next three weeks, Jr./Sr. High School students can hear from an influential Black leader on an important issue! Today's 'What's the Tea' speaker was Dr. Andrew Johnson (below), Executive Director of Youth Guidance for Greater Pittsburgh, an organization dedicated to empowering youth. Dr. Johnson spoke about leadership, talking about his experience educating and supporting people, especially those from marginalized backgrounds. Students can sign up for these Wednesday events (on 2/21 and 2/28) by doing so in homeroom or the guidance office.
Dr. Johnson speaks with Jr./Sr. High School Students.
Meanwhile, check out these bulletin boards (at right), created by students, now on display at the Jr./Sr. High School! Students are getting creative as they put together representations of Black accomplishments and legacies. Watch this space for more Black history content all this month!
UPDATE, 2/13/24: There have been changes to the schedule of events for grades K-6.
• An in-school event (for children only, no parents) at the Primary Center will take place this Friday, February 16 with activity stations for students including African drumming and jewelry making
• Kindergarten and 1st Grade will sing songs and take part in an art activity on Tuesday, February 20 from 9:30 - 10:15 a.m., and parents are invited!
• 2nd and 3rd Graders will sing song sand take part in an art activity on Thursday, February 22 from 9:30 - 10:15 a.m., and parents are invited!
• The Tuesday and Thursday activities will serve as a Title I event for SRPC this month.
• At the Upper Elementary, the Black History Month Celebration on Friday, February 23 will take place from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
ORIGINAL POST - 1/31/24: February is Black History Month, and the Sto-Rox School School District is moving full speed ahead with events honoring the struggle, sacrifices, and achievements of African Americans. What follows is a school-by-school listing of events happening this month. This list will be updated as more information becomes available.
Primary Center (Grades K-3)
The Primary Center will hold its first Black History Month celebration on Friday, February 16 (TIME TBD). Students will be learning songs for the occasion and performing them for parents/guardians, and there will be activity stations for our families.
Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6)
The Upper Elementary will continue its strong tradition of Black History Month activities with a celebration on Friday, February 23 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Parents are invited! Students in grades four through six will perform songs to celebrate Black History. Fourth graders will perform "Down by the Riverside;" Fifth graders will follow with a rendition of "One People;" and the sixth grade will sing "Give up the Glory." All students will collectively sing "This Little Light of Mine.”
Additionally, SRUE’s Beginning Band will perform “Shark Attack,” “Hot Cross Buns,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “We Will Rock You,” and “Here We Go.” Chorus students will belt out “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” and “Babadoobop.” There will also be activity stations related to Black History that students and their families are encouraged to take part in.
Jr./Sr. High School (Grades 7-12)
7th through 12 graders will have several events to celebrate Black History during February. There will be a door decorating contest the weeks of February 5 to 16. Meanwhile, ‘What's the Tea?’ panel discussions on Wednesdays from 10:45 to 11:25 a.m. and ‘Level Up’ (create, transform or improve invention convention) with judging and awards on Thursday, February 29 during the S.O.U.L. Black History Month Celebration (see below). A debate is also planned at a date and time to be determined, along with a Spirit Week from February 26 to 29.
Black History Month at the Jr./Sr. High School will culminate with a celebration known as S.O.U.L., Showcasing Our Unique Legacy, on February 29 from Noon to 2 p.m. The Sto-Rox Jr./Sr. High School Culture Club will host the celebration along with many of the above events throughout February. Community organizations are also invited to attend. They are asked to have the following at their table:
• Black History-themed games/activites
• Information about your programs/services
• Prizes and/or takeaways for students (no food or candy)
Please feel free to be creative with the games or activities at your table. This could include themes of Black excellence, Black businesses, leadership, culture, hair care/skin care, historical figures, etc. Organizations with questions about this event or donation information should contact Alex Gariepy, District Social Worker/Therapist at agariepy@srsd.k12.pa.us.