Black History Month Celebrated in Secondary School 
October in the secondary school, Newstead Wood School this year was truly a unique, extraordinary month- and one of the main reasons the lively, unforgettably jubilant atmosphere was created was due to the celebrations of Black History Month. The essential diversity promoted was unlike anything I have ever seen before; the wide range of spellbinding acts captivating the audience with everything from singers to dancers to even written poetry! Antonia Anthony-Esiefiho, a soloist singer who gave an electrifying, never-before-seen performance of the song ‘Wrecking Ball,’ truly enjoyed her part in the celebrations! When asked about her experience of the day she informed me that ‘I found the experience to be exhilarating and expressive- the atmosphere was very vibrant and electric! Being part of the performance was an amazing experience and I felt very proud to represent black talent!’ This multicultural experience meant a lot also to many other students, simply for the necessary representation it offered.  

Not only were the acts enjoyable, but they were also crucial to opening the eyes of students- presentations and assemblies educating all students. Even the information provided was incredibly diverse, about the origins of things like music and culture, to even the origins of different hairstyles. This celebration helped showcase the only growing diversity of Newstead Wood School- A Year 10 student, Vivia Shukla, commented on the diversity brought out in these celebrations. She believed ‘it was inspiring to see and learn about the black culture in a way we are not normally exposed to, and to be able to experience that was incredible!’ I could not agree more with this statement because, living in such a richly diverse country, it is only beneficial to learn more about our own history and what makes us, well... us. 

These celebrations were unbelievably important for students in the school. Aarna Jha, a student in Year 10 summed up the experience accurately, talking about what the celebrations meant to her, ‘They were important to me because it exposed me to the different types of cultures just within the black community, such as the dances, music, food, and so much more which I was able to enjoy and learn about!’ This conclusion of the experience leaves no room for doubt- this enthralling performance left us breathless. The African-Caribbean Society truly did an unbelievable job with piecing this remarkable entity together, and, hopefully, celebrations like this were only the first of many to come, as it was imperative not only for the society, but also for the school as a whole.