Leechburg students present projects on influential figures for Black History Month

To highlight the impact Black people have had in society, Leechburg High School students in Honors American History 2 gave Black History Month presentations Thursday morning.

“We wanted to do something that was taught beyond the textbook to recognize individuals who have greatly shaped our history,” social studies teacher Scott Hooks said.

He has assigned the project to students in his class since the 1990s. Students in his second honors class were given a list of topics to choose from between Reconstruction and the present day.

The class of 13 sophomores had to prepare five- to 10-minute presentations. A variety of figures were presented: Jackie Robinson, Charles Drew, Oprah Winfrey, Mae C. Jemison and Ruby Bridges.

Alyssa Kamer presented on the civil rights activist Bridges, who as a kindergartener in 1960 was the first Black student at an all-white school in New Orleans. Bridges was escorted by federal marshals into the school, a scene made famous in a painting by Norman Rockwell.

“What she did was courageous,” Kamer said.

Laney Aul did her presentation on TV personality and actress Oprah Winfrey. As she prepared for her presentation, she was able to learn more about Oprah besides her popular TV show.

“It just thought she was interesting, and I was learning more about her than what was on TV or the internet,” she said.

Students were required to write about what they learned after each presentation.

Hooks asked students after their presentation why they chose the figure they did.

Callie Ancosky, who presented on Robinson, said she chose him because of his perseverance to achieve his dream of being a professional baseball player.

“I thought it was so cool that even though he faced so much discrimination, he kept pushing through it,” she said.