Honoring Black History Month and Achievements in STEM at February Board Meeting
It was a full house in the Alden Terrace School gymnasium on Feb. 10, as families, community members, staff and administrators gathered for the Board of Education meeting to celebrate Black History Month and recognize the achievements of the robotics teams.
Acting Principal Sonia Rodrigo welcomed guests to the meeting, noting that it is the 100th year of Black History Month, with the national theme of “A Century of Black History Commemorations.”
“At Alden Terrace, we are proud to engage our scholars in meaningful activities that celebrate Black history and culture through art, music, literature and classroom discussions,” Mrs. Rodrigo said. “Through this learning, our students are discovering the important contributes Black Americans have made to American history, while also developing an understanding of the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The sixth grade chorus, led by the school’s music teacher Gintare Bukauskas, delivered two beautiful performances: a moving solo rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by student Ashli Williams and a powerful performance of “Rise Up.”
Fourth, fifth, and sixth grade scholars in the afterschool Dance and Step Clubs also took the stage, performing an energetic routine to Yolanda Adams’ “I Believe.” Their performance celebrated confidence and reinforced the message that anything is possible when you believe in yourself.
In addition to celebrating Black History Month, the meeting also highlighted student achievement in STEM. On Jan. 24, all six district buildings participated in the FIRST Lego League robotics competition, held at Mineola High School. In preparation, teams designed, built and programmed Lego robots. Students also took part in an innovation project, researching and presenting on a topic connected to this year’s theme, “Unearthed,” an archaeology-inspired challenge.
Through the Lego League experience, fourth, fifth and sixth grade Robotics Club members gain valuable real-world problem-solving opportunities while developing coding, engineering design, teamwork and presentation skills. Dutch Broadway School’s team earned a Robot Design Award, and Stewart Manor School’s team earned Second Place in the Robot Performance Award category. Stewart Manor will advance to the Long Island Championship, held at Hicksville High School on March 8.
