Schoo student group spreads message of acceptance

Members of a student club at Schoo Middle School are celebrating Black History Month by spreading its message of awareness and acceptance of diversity.

“We work on helping everyone realize that there are a lot of different cultures. We’re trying to embrace that in this club,” said Feryal, a seventh-grader and a member of the group Diversity Leaders.

Throughout February, the students are spearheading numerous activities as part of Black History Month:

• They’re researching local African-American heroes and one of the students reads a short biography of the person during morning announcements. The club’s sponsor, counselor Mary Schuster-Graff, said the students have drawn on research done by Lincoln Journal-Star columnist Cindy Lange-Kubick as part of her series of columns in February that feature prominent local African-Americans.
• They’ve displayed photos of the African-American heroes in the school library, along with their research so other students can read about them.
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. popularized the idea of living in a “beloved community,” which he envisioned as a society centered on justice, equal opportunity and love of one's fellow human beings. Members of Diversity Leaders are honoring that vision by asking students and staff to perform specific daily acts of kindness. One of the club’s members, sixth-grader Malique, said Tuesday’s act of kindness was to “ask someone what their dream is and tell them to go for it.”

The club’s members have lofty goals but they’re determined to make a difference, said Arac, a seventh-grader.

“If we have a club that shows everyone and their diversity, maybe everyone will start accepting them.”

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