Students pay homage to black stars
The show, put on by Rome City Schools students, honors the contributions of black writers, actors, athletes and singers to American culture.
There were Samuel L. Jackson fight sequences, rousing covers of “Proud Mary” and “I Believe I Can Fly,” and an appearance from the former first family among the acts of the Rome City Schools Black History Month performance Wednesday.
The main showing of the performance — titled “Moguls, Movies and Music” — was Wednesday night at the City Auditorium.
However, students at the middle and high schools were able to catch the acts earlier in the day at the Rome High auditorium.
The two shows were rewards for students through the PBIS — Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports — method.
During the afternoon showing, high school students sang along, yelled and cheered from their seats and even used their cellphones in the darkened auditorium to sway along to the music.
The performance theme was “Black Excellence,” celebrating the contributions of black writers, producers, actors, athletes and entertainers to American culture.
Students across the system, from
elementary to high school, participated in the show, which transitioned to each act through student narration, calling out the names of Langston Hughes, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Jackie Robinson, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Oprah Winfrey.
For the act honoring Oprah, a mock set was put together for an
interview with Maya Angelou.
Students sang, danced, stepped and played the parts of notable black Americans.
West Central Elementary teacher Stephanie Dean coordinated the program with the help of Black History Month Committee co-chairs Tashia Twyman and Kristin Hall.