Our Preschool students began February with a literacy lesson that helped them take a close look at the beautiful skin tones that God gave each of us. The Colors of Us, by Karen Katz, helped our students see their skin in a new way. After reading the text, each child in the class was encouraged to select a food that most closely resembled the color of his or her skin. One picked coffee and another golden honey, while a third chose delicious vanilla ice cream. Just imagine the conversation your family might have at dinner tonight if everyone thought about skin color in this way!

In Lower School, our second grade teachers sent their students on a “scavenger hunt” through their Black History Month Timeline of Greatness. Students learned about the contributions of Harriett Tubman, Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, Condoleezza Rice, Jackie Robinson, John Lewis, Gabby Douglas, and Oprah Winfrey, just to name a few. Reading about the lives of these influential people gave our second graders a window into the contributions Black Americans have made to literature, politics, sports, entertainment, and, perhaps most importantly, social justice, throughout history.  

Meanwhile, fourth graders listened to and discussed “The Hill We Climb,” the poem written and recited by 22-year old Amanda Gorman, the first National Youth Poet Laureate, at the inauguration of President Joe Biden.