Last Friday, on January 15th, Scarsdale High School celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his actions and reflected on how today’s society compares to Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream,” speech. This year’s event was organized by Ms. Waters, Ms. Plunkett, and Mr. Bedoya. According to Ms. Plunkett, the overall goal of the event was “to make SHS aware and spark discussions about civil and human rights violations” as well as to honor Dr. King. Similarly to last year’s event, the committee wanted students to talk about today’s society and how it compares to Dr. King’s visions of a society where there were equal rights. Last year, an assembly was held during fifth period to honor Dr. King and a creative writing contest gave students an opportunity to express their feelings on issues like racism and inequality.
However, a different approach was taken by this year’s committee. Throughout SHS hallways, flyers inscribed with inspirational quotes were hung up from leaders such as Dr. King and Gandhi. These flyers were part of the “experiential exhibit,” which was meant to spark discussions among students about human and civil rights violations. At the Little Theater, there were examples of protest art, while a PBS documentary, Eyes on the Prize, played. The protest art posters were intended to move students to reflect and respond to the events that occurred during the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the situation in today’s society. Eyes on the Prize is an inspiring documentary about the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s, focusing on key events such as the United States Supreme Court ruling on Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954 and the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. In the library, during fourth and fifth period, students were invited to reflect and express their feelings on today’s society and how far we have come in civil rights since Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream,” and the civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s. There were also inspirational quotes and song lyrics that students could read aloud. Overall, this year’s MLK celebration allowed SHS to honor Dr. King and his vision of society, discuss civil rights violations, and reflect on today’s society.
by: Sam Cremieux
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