Reed School Honors Prominent African Americans During February for Black History Month

The month of February is slated as black history month. There are many people of color who have made a marked difference in our country and the world. Reed School children are learning all about them throughout February in very creative ways.

The hallways are lined with poems, drawings, stories, letters and art that the children have created to honor important black people throughtout history. Everyday, their creations remind them who those people are and what significant contributions they made.

Each morning after the bell rings that signifies their school day has started, the children at Reed School hear over a school-wide broadcast about two African-American people who have changed our society and the world. These people are musicians, poets, writers of literature, athletes, politicians and social and civil rights activists

It is part of the game of bingo students play every morning in February they call JAMBO. JAMBO means hello in Swahili. Fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Karla Rigdon, came up with the idea of JAMBO to teach the students in a fun and unique way about the many important black people who have made a difference throughout history.

“It is amazing how much the kids love playing JAMBO. They get really excited,” said Rigdon.

Each child sits quietly and eagerly awaits the announcement of the name of a person from centuries past through the twenty-first century. When the name is called, they check the JAMBO board they made and then mark it according to the names that match.  Because the children made their own board, just like people, not one of them is exactly the same.

Cosi F., a fourth grader, said after the prominent black person's name is called, “they (the announcers) actually tell about how they changed the world.” She said George Washington Carver is her favorite person she has learned about thus far, because “He is almost like a scientist. He invented a lot of stuff.”

The students were given a large and comprehensive list of significant movers and shakers in the black community from which to choose for constructing their board. Names of those people include but are not limited to Stevie Wonder, Rosa Parks, Herbie Hancock, George Washington Carver, Harriet Tubman and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to name a few.

Each student hopes to JAMBO as a new name is called. Winners get to choose a pencil from 400 pencils Mrs. Rigdon purchased to give to students who JAMBO.

Fourth grader, Jonathan E. talked about playing JAMBO, “It is a good way to learn. It is different (every day) because we are learning about different people in February.” Jonathan wrote a poem about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. along with other students in his class.

In addition to JAMBO, each class at Reed School is focusing on a prominent African American and will then decorate their classroom door with information about that individual. The main hall is also decorated with poems written by students about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.