Black History Performance Not A Disaster!

Ms. Dennise's face looked like an angry Mayan god.
Ms. H had just sprung a last minute powerpoint on us, accompanied by a dreadfully long and boring piece of writing. It was trying to be Dickens-esque, "What if there were no Black people?" but wound up being more than a little bit patronizing, listing all the cleaning tools African-Americans have invented since emancipation. Fortunately, that kid was so nervous, he mumbled most of the way through and I don't think anyone was listening too hard.

We'd been talking about this performance for months. Last year, the PBS group (Positive Behavior Support) put it on, and it was a tremendous success. This year, the PBS team all signed up to help... but when it came down to a week beforehand it was me and Ms. Dennise, and a smattering of only medium-reliable kids. (Today my MLK, who officially accepted his role YESTERDAY, told me he was going to pee himself. I had to physically push him onstage.)

Kids were showing up without costumes... thinking Frederick Douglass invented the peanut... no one knew where they were supposed to stand... only 3 kids showed up to rehearsal. Ms. Dennise said she wouldn't be surprised if the cheerleaders fell all over their faces.

BUT!

Miraculously... things went pretty well. M didn't have a suit and I'd forgotten to borrow one from the bf- but he (knight in flannel armor that he is) brought one over this morning (without me even asking, might I add) on his way to work... R had nothing to be Sojourner but great vocal inflection. Ms. Dennise threw her a sort of sari-looking thing that she pulled off pretty well... T was about to be a barefoot Harriet Tubman so I gave her my boots and gave stage directions in my socks.

Hosheria did great as Rosa Parks, and three kids represented the Future of Black History, talking about their aspirations. S: Supreme Court Justice. A: Pediatrician who opens up her own clinic. D: A lawyer, fighting for people's rights. It was good. They cheered.

Good friend Dewey Morgan used to say, "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and take what happens." (He's kind of like a Samurai.) Today was definitely a testament to that.



p.s. In the top picture, you may notice how shiny and fancy our gym looks now. It has not looked like this for long. It was super crappy- leaking roof and everything- until this year. And the floor and walls were all redone during this past winter break. When I asked my principal how much that cost, and where the money came from- I learned it was insurance. From the hurricane.
Hurricane Katrina.
As in, the hurricane that happened in 2005.
The FEMA check finally came through.
It only took 4 and a half years.
Other buildings, businesses, and families are still awaiting their checks too.
Way to go, government.