News & Press Releases
Black History Month All-School Assembly Highlights Special Guests and a Unique “Class Act”
On Thursday, February 28, the entire Irvington Community School came together to observe the closing of Black History Month 2008 and the ICS’s Black History Month Challenge.
The assembly’s esteemed guest visitors – all long-time civil rights activists – included the Rev. Dr. Thomas Brown, pastor of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church; Rev. Derek King Sr., professor of religious studies at Martin University and the nephew and oldest living male relative of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; and Rev. Glen Clarkson, a United Methodist Church minister who marched in Memphis, Tenn., with garbage workers shortly after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (where King himself was set to march with the workers). Of note, Rev. Clarkson is the grandfather of ICS Lead Teacher Mrs. Pryor.
ICS board member Barato Britt initiated the proceedings by saying how proud he was of the ICS students for their remarkable involvement in the month-long black history educational programming. Before turning over the microphone to ICS President Tim Ehrgott, Mr. Britt observed, “We all have to learn to work together so we can be successful in life.”
Mr. Ehrgott, the school’s #1 professional baseball fan, mentioned how the Brooklyn Dodgers, even with sensation Jackie Robinson on their roster as the first African-American professional baseball player, continued racially discriminatory practices for a number of years after acquiring Robinson. Mr. Ehrgott emphasized how important it is for us all to become more aware of the rich diversity in our community. The students then watched a 30-minute video called “Hero: The Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.”
Rev. Clarkson recalled first hearing the news of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination from Sen. Robert Kennedy during a speech he made here in Indianapolis at 17th Street and Broadway on April 4, 1968. The following Sunday, rather than preach to his congregation, Rev. Clarkson read Dr. King’s “Letter to America.” He then left for Memphis to march with the garbage workers. Rev. Clarkson concluded his talk to the ICS student body by saying, “We’ve come a long way since 1968, but it’s not over yet.”
Dr. King’s nephew then gave a brief inspirational talk, in which he commented that “black history is America’s history. Injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere. We’ve got to continue the message of nonviolence and learn how to love everybody.”
The assembly came to a close with the recognition of the ICS Black History Month Challenge MVPs, those students who acquired the most points individually for their classes by correctly answering the daily black history question, visiting Black History Month-involved sites such as the Indianapolis Children's Museum, and making posters for the Black History Month Challenge wall display. Then the grand prize winning class and the 2nd and 3rd place runners-up and their awards were announced, as follows:
1st Place: Ms. Skavara’s 6th grade – National Underground Railroad Freedom Center field trip to Cincinnati, Ohio
2nd Place: Ms. Meyers’ 7th grade – Martin University and Indiana Historical Society field trip
3rd Place: Ms. Welsh’s 5th grade – African-American-related library collection
And something truly wonderful happened along the way.
Because Ms. Skavara’s class was already scheduled to visit Cincinnati’s Newport Aquarium later in March, her students decided – after several class discussions, a journal entry, and a closed ballot vote – to “pay it forward” by passing along their grand prize to Ms. Meyers’ 7th grade homeroom. As Mr. Ehrgott observed, “This class is a model for the school, faculty, and parents alike!” For their remarkable sense of community and appreciation for The Golden Rule, the ICS's guiding principle, , Ms. Skvara’s class was awarded the 2nd place prize.
Special thanks to Mrs. Harmeyer, Mr. Ballard, Mrs. Pryor, and Mr. Britt for their hard work and enthusiasm in promoting such an important educational experience here at the ICS.
Would you like to see more photos of the ICS Black History Month Challenge assembly? Our gratitude to Steve Pryor (Mrs. Pryor's husband) for the outstanding photography.