Ghana Session: Black History Month

On February 11, 2016 Asbury Park Middle School students put together a Black History Month presentation for the students in Ghana. Coordinating this session were Mr. Wronko, social studies teacher, Mrs. Major Phillips, social studies and special needs teacher, and Mr. Schneider, social studies teacher. This session began with music teacher Ms. Friedman and her chorus singing

“Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

The first verse to this wonderful song goes:

Lift every voice and sing, till earth and Heaven ring, Ring with the

harmonies of liberty; Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening

skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the

faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of hope that

the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day

begun, Let us march on till victory is won.

Song by James Weldon Johnson

Once Ms. Friedman and her students were done with “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” special guests, Vietnam Veteran George Reed and Vietnam Veteran Wilbur V. Martin gave a special presentation about their military experience to the students in Ghana. The students of Ghana
were very interested in what Mr. Reed and Mr. Martin told them about their military experience.

The Ghana students asked the special guests numerous questions. After Mr. Reed and Mr. Martin were done with their presentation, Mr. Wronko and Mr. Schneider students gave a presentation on numerousindividuals and groups who represent Black History Month.
For instance, the APMS students presented written reports and power point presentations on

Mae Jemison, Maya Angelou, Barack Obama, Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, Jean Baptiste Du Sable, Gabriel Prosser, Prince Whipple, George Watson, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Crispus Attucks, George Washington Carver, Thurgood Marshall, James Armistead, Frederick Douglas, the Buffalo Soldiers, and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. The students responsible for putting together these presentations were Yael Garcia, Quanizjia Legagneur, Jazzidy Baker, Kayla Byrd, Nai’Heem Crooms, Daniele Delgado, Viridiana Jacobo, Perfecto Kendle, Tatiana Laurore, Christlie Lavarin, Oscar Limon Vasquez, Rodney Loiseau, Maria Lopez, Asion Murchison, Yahsir Ofori-Afari, ShyAsya Parker, Oswaldo Pelaez, Ali Salahedin, Eduardo Vargas Cruz, Deicie Vasquez, Djephca Cagilus, Marc Kenley St. Surin, Andrit Garnica, Marie Sencia Marcellus, and Verlanda Pierre Louis.