Sherae Honeycutt

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Original Post

Schools around the metro are celebrating Black History Month in a variety of ways, but one school in Lawrence is doing something a little different, and letting kids learn from the big screen.

At South Middle School kids are learning all about Black History Month through a variety of activities, but on Feb. 28, the entire school is headed to the movies to see “Black Panther.”

“This movie, where it is an all-black cast, and its a positive thing, it helps them with that self esteem, really, about themselves, and that empowerment for them to be great,” said principal Keith Jones.

It’s all thanks to a GoFundMe page set up by paraeducator Kim Fuller.

“Oh, that’s exciting, I mean, its exciting that the community has kinda gotten behind this, and it kinda reinforces what we’ve been talking about here as a staff that our community supports the things that we want to expose our kids to. So, it kinda just validates where we feel like we’re doing the right thing here,” Fuller said.

The kids are excited as well.

“It really shows that we represent, that we love to represent Black History Month, and we really think that its important for kids to learn, and know about,” said 6th grader Destiny Savannah.

“It just makes me feel good that a black role is in a really big movie,” said 7th grader Kyle Watson.

The goal for the GoFundMe was $2,000 which they reached Monday evening.

Principal Jones says only seven percent of the students at South Middle are African-American, so this really opens up a conversation for students of all races.

“This movie, its more than just a movie, and I think that’s what some people don’t understand, because it opens the door and the conversation about more than just superheroes, but going to college, being on TV, all those different things that sometimes black kids struggle with,” Jones said.

Jones says they are working at South Middle to recognize different cultures. This year is the first year they are taking time out to focus on Latino and Native American heritages.