Celebrating Black History Month

​

Black History Month 2022

​

Self-Made Billionaire and Millionaire Entrepreneurs

​

For Black History Month in February 2022, we are so excited to highlight dynamic, successful African Americans and international black millionaire and billionaire entrepreneurs! They represent the past and present, men and women, as well as young and old successful people from many different fields and industries.

 

Several GPES students have written brief profiles of successful black entrepreneurs and those profiles are on display in the Media Center and the APR bulletin boards! The authors will share a few fun facts about their entrepreneurs with the school community on the morning announcements. GPES students, you should listen carefully to these facts because you can pick up a quiz about the profiled entrepreneurs from Ms. Bickford in the Media Center - and if you can answer all the questions, you can turn it in for a prize!! 

​

Interested in Writing about a Black Millionaire, Billionaire, or Entrepreneur?

​

If YOU would like an opportunity to write a brief profile and be on the announcements, the PTA's Diversity and Inclusion in Action Committee is inviting more students to do a brief write-up of a black millionaire, billionaire, or entrepreneur of your choice. We are requesting a half-page (or up to 1 page) write-up with a photo of the chosen person.

​

Here are some suggested guiding questions to help you write:

  • Who is this person?

  • What did they accomplish?

  • When and where were they born?

  • What was their early life like?

  • What challenges did they encounter?

  • How did they overcome challenges?

  • What is at least one interesting or fun fact about them?

 

Please email your completed profile and photo to Dana Goodson (danakgoodson@gmail.com) by Wednesday, February 16. Please include your name, grade, and teacher with the profile.

​

The profiles will be on display in the Media Center and the APR bulletin boards and you will have an opportunity to read on the announcements!

​

Here are some ideas of possible people to profile:

​

​

If you have another black millionaire, billionaire, or entrepreneur you would like to feature who is not on this list, you are welcome to do so!

​

For reference, here is the list of profiles that have already been done:

 

  • Ellie Diop 

  • Ava DuVernay

  • Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty 

  • Kathy Hughes 

  • Lonnie Johnson

  • Michael Marshall

  • Rich Paul 

  • Mary Ellen Pleasant 

  • Robert F. Smith 

  • Madame C.J. Walker

​

Thank you for celebrating Black History Month with us!

​

​

Black History Month 2021

​

In honor of Black History Month in February 2021, the Garrett Park PTA celebrated the creativity and achievements of black poets and authors. Throughout the month, students heard inspiring poems and quotes from black authors on the announcements and we finished the month with a Virtual Poetry Slam!

 

To view the full recording of the 2021 Poetry Slam with both the grades 4-5 and grades 2-3 versions of Amanda Gorman's The Hill We Climb, click here.​

​

Poetry Resources

​

Find poems written by Black youth, including The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman

​

These poems are available on EPIC (GPES students have access)

Langston Hughes - S. L. Berry

I Lay My Stitches Down - Cynthia Grady

America, My New Home - Monica Gunning

A Likkle Miss Lou - Nadia L. Hohn

Phyllis Wheatley - Deborah Kent

A Dictionary for a Better World - Irene Latham & Charles Waters

Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes and Friendship - Irene Latham and Charles Waters

Voices from the March on Washington - J Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon

Here in Harlem - Walter Dean Myers

​

Here are some resources for writing and performing poetry (also on Epic)

Wham! It’s a Poetry Jam - Sara Holbrook

Read, Recite, and Write Cinquains - JoAnn Early Macken

Read, Recite, and Write Concrete Poems - JoAnn Early Macken

Read, Recite, and Write Free Verse - JoAnn Early Macken

Read, Recite, and Write Haiku - JoAnn Early Macken

Read, Recite, and Write Limericks - JoAnn Early Macken

Read, Recite, and Write List Poems - JoAnn Early Macken

Read, Recite, and Write Narrative Poems - JoAnn Early Macken

Read, Recite, and Write Nursery Rhymes - JoAnn Early Macken

How to Write a Poem - Cecilia Minden and Kate Roth

​

Websites

​

Black History Month:  Poems for Kids 

​

Poetry Foundation

​

Social Justice Books:  Poetry