Junior Mikayla Williams

Junior Mikayla Williams performed in the Black History Month assembly, singing on her own and stepping with a group of friends. Williams values black history and finds that assemblies are a good way to have fun and be active with her friends and in her culture. “I am a big part of minority achievement,” Williams said. “Mr. Sample pretty much came to me and Elijah and asked us if we wanted to help with the assembly.”

Williams sang “I Know Where I Been” by Queen Latifah, which was well received by the audience. “I thought it went really [well] with the theme,” Williams said. “We wanted to show that even after what we have been through as black people in Arlington, we can still go somewhere. We can still do things with ourselves and rise up.”

Black History Month is very important to Williams. She, along with other students, would like to see an African-based history class at the school but finds that an assembly is a good discussion starter. “We are teenagers now, we need to know what’s really going on,” Williams said. “I think, even if it doesn’t help [to start an African history class], it will start a discussion.”