By Sydney Kuhnel
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On Friday, Feb. 16 Glen Cove High School celebrated Black History Month with performances by students, and some words from principal Allen Hudson III. The event was the first of its kind at Glen Cove High School, and the event’s organizers, Susan Paulos, District Coordinator of Social Studies, and Lawrence Nadel, District Coordinator of Fine and Performing Arts, called it the school’s inaugural celebration of Black History Month. The event included a performance by the school’s mixed choir, as well as by students in the Foundations in Dance class, a new addition to Glen Cove this year. Kicking off the event was the principal Allen Hudson III who, in his keynote address, spoke on the history of Black History Month and its purpose. Hudson called the month a time “not just to reflect on the struggles and triumphs of African Americans,” but also a “time to celebrate the rich cultural heritage and monumental contributions Black individuals have made to society.”
The choice to have Hudson be the keynote speaker at the event, which centered on student contribution, came in part because of his connection to the student body. Paulos said of Hudson “The kids love him; they look up to him.” For Hudson, it was special to speak at Glen Cove High School’s inaugural Black History Month Celebration. In his speech Hudson talked about what an honor it was for him to be the school’s first ever African American principal. On the event being held at Glen Cove High School Hudson said, “it just means everything.”
Following Hudson’s speech, the mixed chorus performed “Shine on Me” a traditional spiritual about overcoming struggle. The chorus director said that the students “fell in love with [the song].” Following the chorus was the school’s first ever performance from their Foundations in Dance students. Students in this class, with the supervision of a teacher, choreographed the entire performance. The routine featured songs made popular by Black artists. The performance was met with loud cheers and applause from the audience of students. The entire goal of the event was to get the students involved and get them “excited about presenting what they created” according to Nadel. The event closed with some reflections on the event. Students were encouraged to continue to honor Black culture and carry with them the lessons of unity and inclusion seen throughout the celebration.
