During Black History Month we have the\u00a0opportunity to engage our young Rocketeers in important conversations around race, civil rights, social justice, and American history.\u00a0Our Rocketeers live all over the country. They come from varied backgrounds, speak different languages, and have unique experiences. It is our job to instill in our Rocketeers\u00a0the knowledge, confidence, and language necessary to talk about and appreciate difference.\u00a0Black History Month is an\u00a0opportunity to inspire students to dream big and become the leaders, change makers, and champions they encounter in the powerful figures and accomplishments of the\u00a0Black\u00a0community in this country.<\/p>\n
Below are some examples of\u00a0unique ways that our schools from coast-to-coast are teaching elementary students about Black history. Whether it be through performance art, poetry slams, or project based-learning, our teachers are instilling the\u00a0values of pride, appreciation, and\u00a0knowledge into the hearts and minds of our Rocketeers.\u00a0We believe that this important type of learning must happen at an early age. That is why we are committed to elementary education, because a\u00a0solid foundation leads to a\u00a0strong future. Check out the school spotlights below to see some examples straight from the classroom.<\/p>\n
At Rocketship Rise Academy, teachers\u00a0and staff came together to inspire\u00a0and uplift students as they explored the stories and accomplishments of\u00a0both past and current Black figures and leaders. Through daily classroom discussions and artistic and academic projects, students honored some of the amazing black men and women who have shaped our history. Founding second grade teacher John C. McCormick shares why this work is so important, as well as some photos and videos of Rocketeers\u00a0demonstrating their knowledge.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am a native Washingtonian. Born and raised in the Northeast quadrant of DC. I am a proud product of DC Public Schools and Howard University. I embrace and uplift the culture of my city every chance I get. What I am most proud of, however, is the career path that I was called to. \u00a0I am an educator in Washington, DC.<\/p>\n
Last spring I was presented with the opportunity to become a founding teacher at Rocketship Rise Academy located in the Woodland Terrace neighborhood here in DC. In August, we opened our doors to our Rocketeers for the first time. As I began to bond with each of my students, I was reaffirmed in just how urgent and important this work is. A lot of them hadn\u2019t experienced education of the quality that Rocketship was offering. A significant number of students were missing foundational academic and social skills. I was taken aback at the fact that it seemed a lot of their previous teachers had seemingly given up on them. The harder it seemed this would be, the more it pushed me to be there for them every single day to give them what they deserve.<\/p>\n
Every day, I get the opportunity to give to my students what my teachers and members of my community gave to me: a sense of pride and belonging in the history and culture of this city. When I became a teacher, I promised myself that I would never lose sight of the reason I chose this path: to inspire the minds of urban black and brown kids who look like me and share my background. I am reminded of that promise every day that I walk into this building and receive 20 hugs in five minutes from my Rocketeers with big smiles on their faces and a gleam of hope in their eyes.<\/p>\n
February is Black History Month and as I teach my students about the struggles that African-Americans endured in the past to simply be able to sit in a classroom and receive an excellent education I think about their future. I think about the impact that I may have on their lives as a black educated male that comes in every day ready to push them further on their path to academic success. I think about the struggles they endure in their own lives and how simply coming into a space where they are loved, affirmed, and safe can mean the world to them. I am proud and overjoyed knowing that the future leaders of tomorrow are sitting in my classroom right here in our nation\u2019s capital and we are doing the work each and every day to make their dreams a reality.” –\u00a0John C. McCormick, Second grade teacher.<\/p>\n
Student Artwork Galleries<\/strong> adorn the halls at Rocketship Rise Academy in honor of important Black leaders, movements, and accomplishments throughout history.<\/p>\n\n\t\t