Former Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School Principal Valdon Daniel delivers a speech at the Black History Month Program in the E.B. Mell Auditorium on Feb. 19. Jaclyn Brown, CCHS BHM Program Coordinator and Career, Technical and Agricultural Education department chair, enjoyed hearing Daniel speak about Black history in Athens. “I wanted my students here at Clarke Central, whether they’re in my classroom or not, to be enriched by a person like Mr. Daniel, who knows so much history,” Brown said. “He (wasn’t) reading off a piece of paper as a speaker. Everything he said came from his heart. It’s so enriching that he was able to do that and you could feel the love and compassion that he has as he’s speaking.” Photo by Iliana Tejada
CCHS hosted its annual Black History Month Program in E.B. Mell Auditorium on Feb. 19, featuring a multitude of performances from CCHS and Athens community members.
A round of applause sounds throughout the E.B. Mell Auditorium as Clarke Central High School’s CriTiCal Elite Step Team finishes their routine. Students, staff and performers are packed into the auditorium on Feb. 19 for the annual event: CCHS’ Black History Month Program.
Jaclyn Brown, CCHS BHM Program Coordinator and Career, Technical and Agricultural Education department chair organized the programs. While planning, Brown kept the program open to the CCHS and Athens community to give them the opportunity to perform at the event.
“It takes a lot of heart to put something like this (program) together,” Brown said. “Every year it has been something different, but it’s been amazing seeing how everything comes together.”
Along with the CriTiCal Elite Step Team, the event featured CCHS’ chamber strings orchestra, a stroll presentation from the University of Georgia’s National Pan-Hellenic Council’s Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the singing of CCHS Class of 1993 alumna Tikica Platt, a presentation from CCHS’ JROTC, a speech from former Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School Principal Valdon Daniel and the Ebenezer Baptist Church West Choir.
The Clarke Central High School chamber strings orchestra performs in E.B. Mell Auditorium on Feb. 19. CCHS senior Havona Jean-Phillipe has attended the event multiple times and believes it’s important to continue the tradition of hosting one every year. “There is a rich history in not only Black Americans, but every race, so it’s important to talk about it to understand it,” Jean-Phillippe said. “The reason we learned history in the first place is to not repeat it. It’s important to learn about not just tragic history, but also what we have built from that history.” Photo by Grady Dunston
CCHS senior Havona Jean–Phillippe enjoyed how the program included the performances of Athens community members, many of them CCHS graduates, rather than being solely composed of CCHS students.
“You’re gonna graduate one day, you’re not gonna be in Clarke Central and, yeah, you’re gonna be a Clarke Central graduate, but that’s not all you’re gonna be,” Jean-Phillippe said. “I feel like it’s more important to build a larger community outside of the school.”
Daniel’s speech included stories from his childhood, which highlighted the importance of education and teaching students about the history of Athens. These stories discussed the integration of the Clarke County School District schools and the disparity between what Black and white people made in the same career.
“I was excited about (speaking) because I wanted the (students) to hear the story that I shared about being a 12-year-old in Broad Acres asking for $5 (at my job) when my mom was only making $3 and my daddy (was) making $6,” Daniel said. “I had never had a chance to share that story with an audience like this. (I was) trying to get students to be motivated about the value of an education and the importance of it.”
Dierdra Stroud, a member of the EBCW Choir and CCHS Class of 1982 alumna, believes the tradition of hosting the BHM Program is important to bring more awareness to Black history.
“It’s good because each year (there are) students that graduate out (and) new students that come in, so having (the BHM Program) annually also keeps those new kids that are coming in educated on Black history,” Stroud said. “They’re able to learn, and the cycle just continues.”
“Every year (the program) has been something different, but it’s been amazing seeing how everything comes together.”
— Jaclyn Brown,
CCHS BHM Program Coordinator and Career, Technical and Agricultural Education department chair
CCHS sophomore Samuel Lorenzini, who played violin in the CCHS chamber strings orchestra’s performance at the event, enjoyed being a part of the BHM Program.
“(It’s important) to celebrate Black history because, although it’s getting better, it’s still glossed over a lot of times,” Lorenzini said. “It’s important to make amends to the past and celebrate this culture. Black history is American history.”
Despite some technical difficulties with the sound system during the performances, Brown feels proud of the effect maintaining the BHM Program will have on CCHS students.
“Everybody was so enriched and really enjoyed (the BHM Program). It changes the culture for (the day of the program) because people start thinking about their decisions,” Brown said. “I think about how, because (of these community members), that’s why I am who I am today, where I’m a teacher and I’m giving back to the students.”
