Virginia Beach City Public Schools salutes the following for their innovative programs and accomplishments related to diversity awareness:
Students at Larkspur Middle School will be participating in a service project benefiting children in an orphanage in Djibouti, Africa. They will be working to transform gently used pillowcases and sheets into dresses for the children to wear. The students will learn not only a variety of fabric dyeing techniques, but also empathy in giving to a global community as well as geographical information about Djibouti. The project idea came from an organization called Little Dresses for Africa, but Rachel Rodgers, a Larkspur Art teacher has since found her own direct connection to an orphanage in Djibouti; and the dresses will be hand delivered by troops stationed in Hampton Roads.
Shelton Park Elementary School will host its annual Multicultural Math / Literature Night on March 10, 2009 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Families are invited to enjoy learning about and sampling food from another culture, storytelling, and working on math problems together. For more information call 757.460.7577.
During the 2nd grade study of Native Americans at Windsor Oaks Elementary School, the students were given the opportunity to examine elk fur used by the Eastern Woodland Indians to provide warmth.
Emily R., a senior at Salem High School and member of the Spanish Honor Society and the Latino Club, was awarded a $5,000.00 scholarship from SUPERVALUE, Inc. for her winning essay, What My Hispanic Heritage Means to Me.
The Technical and Career Education Center’s Medical and Legal Systems Administration classes hosted an African-American Read-In. Students read excerpts from classic and modern literature and a step team performed a student choreographed routine that was complete with a script that highlighted famous African-Americans. The activities were in celebration of Black History Month.
Bayside Elementary School recently held a Black History Month program in the school cafeteria. The program featured third graders singing an African-American greeting song and Ms. Edna Hendrix presenting a brief history of education for African Americans in Princess Anne County. The program also featured a skit called The Night at the Museum, in which students posed as wax figures who came to life as African Americans to tell about their lives. The students who performed in the skit were: Emily S. as Rosa Parks, Sebastian M. as Douglas Wilder, Emily B. as Harriett Tubman, Timia G. as Oprah Winfrey, Kenny C. as Barack Obama, Michael B. as Jackie Robinson, Matthew J. as Arthur Ashe, Ahmed D. as Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jordan E. as the museum curator.
Internationally-known African drummer, Kofi, worked with third grade students at Kempsville Elementary School in celebration of Black History Month.
Students at Plaza Elementary School enjoyed traveling through the Underground Railroad as a part of a simulation for Black History Month.
Salem High School hosted a Black History Month program entitled, The Journey Continues---Yes I Will, on February 26, 2009 followed by a reception. It was opened to the public and sponsored by Salem’s African-American Male Achievement Committee.
New Castle Elementary third grade students worked together to solve a giant crossword puzzle with facts about African Americans in honor of Black History Month.
The halls of Landstown Elementary School were filled with student generated displays sharing facts and pictures of famous African Americans for Black History Month. The community was invited to take part in the school’s celebration by touring Landstown Elementary's "museum" along with students to learn about African Americans who followed their dreams from the past to make a difference for our future.
Windsor Woods Elementary School had Black History Storyteller, Eunice Jones, to share with all of its students for Black History Month.
The African-American Read-In Chain (AARIC) was the ‘happening thing’ at Princess Anne High School in February. Students and faculty were invited to listen to guest speakers and to bring a 2-3 minute passage written by an African American author to read aloud.
The Diversity Committee at Cooke Elementary School will be selling Helping Hands for a quarter during the month of February. All proceeds will go to the Sickle Cell Association to raise awareness for the disease. Hands made from construction paper can be bought and then will be displayed through out the school.
Fairfield Elementary School, 5428 Providence Road, will host a Multicultural Night & Art Expo on Monday, February 23, 2009 from 6:15 pm - 8:15 pm. The theme is "Oh the Places You'll Go." There will be cultural displays, a musical performance of "Temples and Tombs," an ethnic fair, and artwork exhibits.
Landstown students will be celebrating their favorite African Americans through a poetry contest and a Landstown Elementary School Black History Museum. Students engaged in self directed activities will be creating, collaborating, and communicating their ideas for their displays to share in the halls outside their classrooms.
The Distinguished Ladies and Young Men of Vision Clubs at Lynnhaven Middle School will celebrate Black History Month on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 from 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm. Dr. Herman Clark, a professor at Regent University, will be the honored guest speaker. The students will recite an original poem and do a musical performance. The celebration will recognize the contributions of African American people and the importance of education in our community.
The Tech Center is proud to be among the schools participating in the National 2009 African-American Read-In on Thursday, February 12, 2009. See the website for more details: http://www.ncte.org/action/aari/packetinfo. For the third year, a diverse group of Tech Center students will be reading short passages from works by African-America authors.
Corporate Landing Elementary is the first public school in the Tidewater Area to have a video-phone (Sorenson). It has been installed and began working on February 12, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. It is a telephone that can be used by hearing impaired students and staff to communicate with parents, etc. It makes our students self reliant re: communicating via the telephone.
Eighth grade students at Princess Anne Middle School studying The Diary of Anne Frank were fortunate enough to receive a visit from members of the Jewish Federation of Tidewater this January. The guest speakers related their experiences before and during and after the events of World War II in Europe. Mr. David Katz, Mr. Hanns Loewenbach and Ms. Dana Cohen each had a different personal story to tell, each related with a simplicity and poignancy that captured and held the students' attention. Mr. Katz, a native of Leipzig, Germany now living in Chesapeake with his wife, artist Anne Katz, related his amazing story of survival as a boy during the war, eluding the enemy while moving around Europe on foot. Mr. Lowenbach's story includes escape from his native Germany to Shanghai. And Mrs. Cohen tells of survival while being sent from one place to another throughout Europe and eventually, to Africa. Hearing these amazing stories was a priceless experience for the students of Princess Anne Middle.
A Power Soccer match vs. the Kemps Landing Magnet School faculty and staff took place on January 21, 2009 to benefit the Tidewater Piranhas Power Soccer team. Power soccer opens the door to competitive sports for power wheelchair users around the world. One of Kemps Landing’s students played in the match as member of the nationally ranked Tidewater Piranhas team. The game is intended to broaden the appreciation for disabled sports and serve as a fundraiser for the team.
Second graders at White Oaks Elementary School, Mikayla S. and Michael B., read the Scholastic Newspaper about the life of Dr. Martin L. King Jr. to prepare for the observance of Dr. King's birthday.
Thoroughgood Elementary School had its Multicultural Celebration on Friday, January 16, 2009. It was all day in the library with grade levels coming during Physical Education to visit and learn about ten different countries and their cultures. They were given a passport and stamps were issued for every country. There were representatives from our community from Denmark, Germany, France, India, China, Sweden, United Kingdom, and many others.
Caitlin C. of Ocean Lakes High School finished 3rd in the Southern Region Oireachtas, an Irish dance championship of 14 southern states plus Mexico! This qualifies Caitlin to compete at the World Irish Dance Championship(Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne) in April.
For eight years, Maria Davis, Spanish Teacher at Princess Anne Middle School, has been making a positive impact on the lives of the students in her Spanish classes. Coming from the town is Jerez, Spain; Ms. Davis is able to instill a strong appreciation for the Spanish culture. She is not afraid to take on added duties such as serving as chair for the Foreign Language Department. Her vibrant and friendly attitude comes through in all that she does for her students, making a difference for each of them every day.
The students of Thoroughgood Elementary School will be participating in a Multicultural Celebration by decorating dolls based on their ancestral heritage. The dolls will be displayed in the hallways the week prior to the Multicultural Celebration on Friday, January 16th. All students will be given a passport and stamp from each country they visit. They will see items from India, Russia, Greece, France, Sweden, Holland, Germany, and many, many more. The celebration is to honor our NATO families and all the cultural differences they bring to our school.
A kindergarten class at Diamond Springs Elementary School has been learning about Native American culture. The students in the class have made beads, read stories, and listened to authentic music from the Sioux tribe.
John B. Dey Elementary School’s second graders recently spent time learning all about the Chinese culture. The students were given the opportunity to show off Asian clothing.
Retired teacher assistant, Ms. Virginia Zeiders Ogden, shared her collection of the Native American treasures with Pembroke Elementary School in honor of Thanksgiving.
Students from The Gentlemen's Club at Virginia Beach Central Academywere invited to participate in a statewide summit focusing on dropout prevention, which involved the public, private, service, and nonprofit sectors. The summit was held in Richmond, Virginia, on October 28, 2008, and was part of Virginia's participation in a major national effort to highlight the issue of dropout prevention and school completion. The Virginia Department of Education received a grant from America's Promise Alliance to work in partnership with the various sectors to address high school dropout prevention on a statewide basis. Serving on the panel were Virginia Beach Central Academy students Brock B. and Rashad H.; also in attendance were Matthew M., a student at Virginia Beach Central Academy, and Mr. Bobby R. Huntley, Work Adjustment Teacher and Co-Director of The Gentlemen's Club at Virginia Beach Central Academy.
Members of The Gentlemen's Club and their sponsors from Virginia Beach Central Academy carried the banner for the 5th Annual Walk Against Domestic Violence presented by Samaritan House in support of Domestic Violence Awareness month to raise awareness and funds for domestic violence issues in Hampton Roads. All proceeds benefitted the Samaritan House services and programs.
The 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at Green Run Elementary School were involved in a unit of study entitled “Los Dias de los Muertos” (Days of the Dead) to include multiculturalism in the arts. It is a Mexican and Mexican American celebration to honor ancestors held October 31– November 2. According to Dorothy Labahn, Green Run Elementary’s art teacher, students created several projects with designs that reflect the Mexican tradition of decorating skulls.
Marvella Phillips, Diversity Youth Advisory Council advisor at the Technical & Career Education Center, has been given permission by her principal to facilitate a diversity activity during the December 2 staff meeting. The activity to be modeled is called “Who Am I?” and handouts will be given in order that her colleagues may use it in their classrooms.
Phyllis Adams, Salem High School Spanish Teacher, recently had an article published in the National Journal for the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, the Spanish Honor Society. The magazine is ¡Albricias! and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese is the sponsor for this sociey. The name of the article is "Capítulo Cucuahtémoc" and it describes Salem High School's chapter's induction ceremony and associated celebration on May 30, 2008, in the Salem High School schola. Mrs . Adams has also been included in the 2009 editions of the following publications: Marquis Who's Who in America; Marquis Who's Who of American Women; and Marquis Who's Who in the World.
Bayside High school will feature Don Roberts of Wavy News 10. He will be the motivational speaker for the Bayside Minority Achievement Club (BMAC). BMAC is a group of African-American scholars, where selection is based on their high academic achievement. The juniors and seniors serve as mentors to tenth grade students, by providing academic and emotional support. These young people are paving the way as future leaders, dedicating their time and abilities, to help others reach their full potential.
The following teachers are Diversity Youth Advisory Council (DYAC) advisors for the 2008-2009 school year: K. Brasington ( Kellam HS), Z. Clark (Princess Anne MS), B. Duncan (Tallwood HS), L. Francis (Princess Anne HS), C. Harmon (Lynnhaven MS), T. Henderson (Landstown HS), P. Hernandez (Independence MS), K. Jensen (Virginia Beach MS), C. Jordan (Landstown MS), K. Kilby (Salem High School), S. Lambert (Ocean Lakes HS), F. Matthews (Green Run HS), R. Olds (First Colonial HS), M. Phillips (Technical & Career Ed. Center), J. Powell (Landstown MS), M. Powell (Brandon MS), P. Rogerson (Salem MS), O. Rosario (Cox HS), M. Roy (Cox HS), S. Schober (Larkspur MS), S. Szilassy (Salem HS), F. Thompson (Kemps Landing MS), M. Vanterpool (Kempsville HS), T. Waters (Plaza MS), K. Whitley (Kempsville MS), C. Williams (Great Neck MS), and J. Williams (Independence MS).
More than more 75 VBCPS students represented their middle and high schools at the 2008 Diversity Workshop on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan College on July 16, 2008. The all-day event included a continental breakfast and lunch, team building, courageous conversation about diversity, critical thinking activities, and a very special speaker, Marco Mercado (a VBCPS teacher) who delivered spoken word. Workshop participants were also trained to prepare them for the role of "diversity ambassador" during the 2008-2009 school year, and to serve on the Diversity Youth Advisory Council (DYAC) in their schools. Read what students learned at the Diversity Workshop.
ersity in Action 