Black History Month - Grade One
During Black History Month, the Grade One students at York Street Public School celebrated Black heritage and culture with Educator interviews and music field trips. The students wrote questions to find out about Black culture, roots, history, and heritage. This was a wonderful way for the students to get to know two important educators: Black Excellence Leader and French Kindergarten Teacher Marcda Petit-Frere and Superintendent Prince Duah. The children learned many interesting things from interviewing these two amazing Black educators from our York Community. Thinking of questions and listening carefully to the answers was a great skill for the Grade One students.
In addition to celebrating cultural diversity through speaking and listening skills, the Grade Ones also engaged in Caribbean culture when they visited the National Arts Centre to watch the national orchestra perform Calypso music. Inspired by Trinidadian storytelling, Calypso music is often sung in Creole, a language spoken by many Black students at York. For many York students and parents, this was the first time visiting a theatre and seeing a live orchestra. They enjoyed walking the red carpet and taking in the scenic sites of Ottawa on the walk from school.
Here are some of the highlights from the student interviews which are displayed in the front entrance at York. We are grateful to the NAC for an on-going partnership to make the Arts accessible for marginalized students.
Student Interview with York Educator - Marca Petit-Frere
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Where is your family from? Haiti
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What is special about your name? - Marcda is a name my parents gave me to incorporate my Dad’s name, Marc and my Mother’s name Daniella.
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How many languages do you speak? - English, French, Creole
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What is important to you from your culture? - Community gatherings
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What are you most proud of? - Going back to my afro hair. For 27 years, I straightened my hair, then I decided to go natural.
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What was your first ever job? Hair braiding
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When you were little, what did you want to be? A scientist who made potions
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What makes you happy? Food and seeing other people happy.
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Who is your hero? My mom.
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What does it mean to you to be Black? - My Black culture is important to me. I enjoy celebrating our hair in different ways - twists, curls, straight, wavy. I enjoy gatherings, sharing food, religion, music, and culture. I celebrate and find strength in our Black history and the resilience of people in the past who have learned to live and grow through hard times.
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What is the biggest lesson you have learned in life? - To treat others with respect. To know that no one is above you or under you, that we are all equal.
Student Interview with York Superintendent - Prince Duah
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Where is your family from? - Ghana
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How many schools are you in charge of? - 46 schools in OCDSB but in GTA it was 144.
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Were you ever a teacher? Yes, I used to teach Grade 1,2,6,7 and High School before becoming a Vice Principal, Principal, and then Superintendent.
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What is your favorite game? Dominoes
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What is your favourite thing to do in the summer? Soccer with my children, or relaxing in the sun.
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Do you have any pets? My daughter has a pet tortoise. They live for a long time!
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Why is your name special? My name is special because my parents gave it to me. In Ghana, your name tells you a lot about your tribe.
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What was your first ever job? I crumpled newspapers in a factory that made styrofoam displays that had to be filled with newspapers.
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What is your favourite food? Beef wellington
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What is your favourite animal? cheetahs - they are beautiful and fast
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If you could do another job, what would it be? Well,l I went to law school, so maybe a lawyer
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Who is your hero? Martin Luther King - he taught people all around the world how to be a good role model.
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How many languages do you speak? 3 - English, French, and Twi
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Where did you go to school? W.E. Gowling first school in Canada, then Bayshore, Bell High School, Syracuse University, then York University.
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Do you play any sports? Soccer. I used to do track and field at high school and University and still hold a high school record.
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Do you have a favourite singer? – Prince (of course!)
