Langston celebrates school’s history
A Black History Month program held Tuesday by Langston Aerospace and Environmental Studies Magnet School celebrated the school’s past, as well as the future for its students.
“I just wanted to welcome all of you and to let you know that we are so proud of the history here at Langston,” said Principal Taryn Echols. “Our teachers and our students have done a wonderful job of providing us a look back through the history of Langston.”
“Langston has a really, really old, rich history that we need to live out,” said Amos Gray, of First Lutheran Church.
Staff member Cynthia Woodard organized the program “Celebrate the Past: A Legacy of Pride” for the second year. Gray was invited as a guest speaker.
Students learned about some of the history of Langston through a video prepared for the assembly. Four former Langston students who now work at the school were interviewed about their experiences.
Staff members Frank Cooper, Jerreldean Ross and Katrina Swanigan shared what they enjoyed about Langston in their interviews. Also interviewed was Willie Cooper Martin, a retired teacher who now volunteers at the school. Cooper encouraged students to talk to anyone they knew who went to Langston High School and ask them about their time there.
“Langston, in those days, was one of the most well-respected all black schools in the state of Arkansas,” Cooper said. “You could go anywhere in the state of Arkansas, say ‘Langston High School’ and somebody could tell you something about the school.
“And for those of you that are here now on this campus, this is still a good school, but it can only be a better school if you make it a better school. You are the ones now that have to carry on the legacy of Langston school.”
Swanigan attended Langston when it served lower grades after the high school was desegregated. She now teaches physical education.
“This is where I remember falling in love with P.E. and playing and learning games,” Swanigan said. “It is so cool that I get to be a P.E. teacher here in the place where I learned to love P.E.”
Gray encouraged students to aim to be first in whatever they do. He discussed his own experiences and how he became the first person in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree.
“I can go on and on and on about being first,” Gray said. “The greatest thing about being first is that you pave the way.”
Gray cited famous African-Americans George Washington Carver, Shirley Chisholm and Thurgood Marshall for paving the way in their fields. He said the current students now lead the way for the younger students behind them.
“Whatever it is you want to be first in, you can do it,” Gray said. “You can do it. A lot of people — when I was younger — used to tell me that I could not speak and that I could not stand before people and talk because I had a bad stutter and I was really shy. A lot of people went on to say I could not go to college because I could barely read in the 10th grade. Whatever you set your mind to do, you can do it.”
Various activities were conducted for the assembly. Music teacher Angelique Zeigler prepared a musical performance for every grade in honor of famous black figures, such as Ruby Bridges, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Tuskegee Airmen.
Ari Johnson was chosen as the student mistress of ceremony for the program. Clarice Anderson led students in an activity in which they read information about significant figures in black history before revealing their identities.
Swanigan led the Langston cheerleaders in a performance to the school song, “We are the Langston Rockets,” developed by Paula Bettis in 2000. Bettis is now a music specialist at Gardner STEM Magnet School.