Children in the Bensalem Township School District celebrated diversity by creating an African American History Month mural and enjoying a Chinese New Year performance
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
When it comes to large-scale cultural celebrations, February is chock-full of them. Not only did Feb. 5 mark the Chinese New Year and official start of the “Year of the Pig,” all 28 days encompass African American History Month.
To instill in its students an appreciation for diversity, Bensalem Township School District hosted several initiatives, including the creation of artwork inspired by black leaders and a Chinese dance performance.
At Valley and Belmont Hills Elementary, art instructor Deana Rivera spearheaded a project for the third, fourth, fifth and sixth graders, tasking them with constructing massive murals of famous African Americans.
“I actually did this project eight years ago, and I brought it back because I loved it so much,” she said.
Rivera made a list of influential musicians, political leaders and activists, narrowing it down to three she thought would be the most interesting to students — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Bessie Coleman and Muhammad Ali.
To make the project a true group effort, Rivera took photos of each subject and gridded them into 1×1-inch squares. Each student was given a square, the patterns of which they duplicated with paint onto a larger, 6×8-inch sheet of paper. Using a coding system, the finished pages were assembled into the finished masterpieces.
“They go back together as a puzzle, and they didn’t know who it was going to be or what it was going to be, but when I put it together, it looks like a person,” Rivera said. “So it was a lesson on teamwork, everybody doing a different part. There were things that were harder, there were things that were easier for them to do, but altogether as a team, they all contributed something and made something beautiful.”
All three murals are currently on display in the Valley and Belmont hallways, serving as eye catchers and conversation starters for all who pass by.
“Everybody that has seen them has been so blown away by it,” Rivera said. “It’s hard to imagine how it could come together like that and look so interesting and cool, but I really got a lot of positive feedback from it and the kids are really proud of themselves. They can’t believe that’s something they took part in. So it’s really a great project. I love it.”
As African American History Month progresses, Rivera will continue to educate her students on these and other individuals.
“When I have the classes next time, I’m going to really teach them about the people that they painted and how many people took part in helping that person to be successful and really why they’re important, because I don’t think kids have an idea of that,” she said. “They live in what they’re used to in their world, so it’s hard to imagine or be empathetic towards what it would’ve been like a long time ago when that stuff wasn’t available.”
A few minutes away at Struble Elementary, the kindergarteners enjoyed afternoon Chinese New Year festivities on Tuesday, Feb. 5. According to teacher Kate Covey, the students had been immersed in the culture for two weeks leading up to the event, so energy was at an all-time high as they entered the auditorium donning handcrafted Chinese hats.
“They made maps, they made pandas, they made scrolls, they learned how to say ‘Happy New Year’ in Chinese,” Covey said. “We do this every year to bring everything together and to celebrate.”
For the first time, Struble welcomed members of Lee’s Lion Club in Philadelphia, who entertained with a traditional dragon and lion dance. An adult and child performer dressed up in brightly colored lion costumes made from paper mache, which they used to “eat” heads of lettuce on the floor, a symbol of good luck.
As the dancers quickly moved, much to the delight of the students, several drummers kept a steady, thumping rhythm. Meanwhile, a handful of teachers joined the show, carrying a dragon around the perimeter of the room.
After, the children participated in a brief Q&A session, followed by a hearty spread of Chinese food, which featured eggrolls and fortune cookies. ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at [email protected]
