Contest brings life to Civil Rights studies

Philadelphia High School teachers used a Black History Month project as part of their curriculum, giving students hands-on experience with the courses.

The project was a door decorating contest for first-period classes in the middle and high school.

Each teacher picked a subject related to Black History Month, which was celebrated throughout February, and decorated their doors.

“We were not able to have a program because of COVID-19,” principal Steve Eiland said. “This was a way in which we could acknowledge and celebrate Black History.

“And it was very educational because our students really participated and were motivated.”

There was 100% participation. The winning classes received a free dress pass for a day. 

Outside judges were brought in, and there was a tie.

Jennifer Johnson’s life science class and Mary Kate Collins Hollingsworth’s Mississippi history class tied for first place.

“It wasn’t just a lecture or something to read,” Hollingsworth said. “Our students were actually able to see pictures of what people did or read stories about the past and the present influencers of Black history.

“We had just started studying the Civil Rights Movement so it really worked well with the timing,” Hollingsworth said. “With our project, we covered one side (of the door) with pictures of influencers from the past and the other side had people our current influencers. In the center, there was the fist with the names of people who have died because of their support for Civil Rights.”

Johnson’s botany class focused their door on Dr. George Washington Carver and his research work on peanuts.

“This is a botany class and Dr. Carver was a botanist,” Johnson said. “He was born a slave. He became a botanist and he really changed the world in the South. He invented 300 peanut products.

“The door centers on a peanut plant and around it are all the things he invented from peanuts. From makeup to ink to feed. He came up with all of these products to encourage the poor farmers in the South to grow peanuts which enrich the soil with nitrogen.”

Both teachers praised the class participation.

“My entire class participated, whether it was doing research or cutting out pictures or names,” Hollingsworth said. “The entire class joined in the discussion while preparing the door.”