The Riverside Press-Enterprise
District honors Black History Month
The Fontana Unified School District celebrated Black History Month in February with a series of classroom and community activities.
The month’s activities began Feb. 3 with the district’s second annual Black History Month celebration, “Harmony in Heritage and Knowledge,” and ended with a Black History Month elementary excellence awards ceremony Feb. 28.
The school district collaborated with the District African American Parent Advisory Council in planning and implementing the events.
“These events brought together a wide range of folks who make up our community; we were so excited to bring our students into these spaces,” April Clay, president of the District African American Parent Advisory Council, said in a news release. “This was a great opportunity for our scholars to be recognized for their academic achievement and for some scholars to receive special recognition for community services and all the ways they contribute to society and their campuses.”
Both events showcased the talents of Fontana district students through live performances and displays
of their artistic and academic creations. The school district also honored its Black scholars during each event, bringing them on stage to receive awards for their academic or artistic excellence.
Students across the district submitted artistic pieces or academic projects reflecting the contributions of historical Black figures that were displayed at the Black History Month community events and at the district’s John D. Piazza Education
Center throughout February.
“The district provided students opportunities to explore the contributions, stories and daily lives of people from diverse backgrounds throughout history,” Marcie D. Graves Poole, the district’s director of equity, diversity and inclusion, said in the news release. “Students, classrooms and sites were encouraged to participate in projects or activities that highlight cultures reflective of our diverse, multicultural community.”