Looking Toward Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 21

Looking Toward Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 21

 

Mrs. Smith’s kindergarten class

With this being the month of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday and his holiday, scholars at Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy in Trenton, South Carolina are honoring the civil rights activist’s dream.  Like most elementary classes during this time, Mrs. Smith’s kindergarten class is learning about the importance of having a dream and what it meant for Dr. King. In their lesson to teach scholars about the significance of the “I Have a Dream Speech”, Mrs. Smith and her assistant, Ms. Brooks lead the children through a hand and paint printing activity. Scholars printed their palms on a sheet of paper and above this print is a statement declaring their dream. Of course, the answers included occupations like astronaut, doctor, and firefighter, however there is a deeper meaning to just simply having these aspirations.  When asked why she thinks this activity is important, Mrs. Smith said, “It’s important because we look at Dr. King and see what he did for humanity. This teaches them how important it is to fulfill a dream and how important it is to work together no matter your nationality.”  Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy is a STEM school which concentrates on science, technology, engineering and math.  BPLA’s goal is to inspire scholars to become mathematicians, biologists, and engineers.  So, Dr. Martin Luther King, what he stood for, and especially his “I Have a Dream” speech seems to be highly significant for a school that encourages students to dream big when it comes to careers.