Frank Hurt Secondary students go Beyond Black History Month

February is Black History Month, and a group of students at Frank Hurt Secondary is celebrating, educating, and raising awareness of the legacies and current contributions of Black Canadians.

This year, Frank Hurt's Beyond Black History Month (BBHM) Committee is collaborating with the school's Anti-Oppression Collective (AOC) to engage other students, in and out of the classroom, on Canada's Black history.

"The committee has been operating for five plus years and has grown in significance, visibility and members in the last two years," said teacher Melanie Scheuer, who sponsors the BBHM committee and AOC. "Both groups consist of diverse students, accomplices and allies wanting to make changes at our school."

The groups' efforts to raise awareness this year include social media posts of past and present Black Canadians and their contributions to Canada, interactive weekly trivia on Black history and current events, highlighting local Black owned businesses, promoting Black literature in the library, sharing BBHM's Instagram posts with teachers to use in their classes, and displaying signs, flags and posters throughout the school about important Black figures in history and the present.

Schools are encouraged to use Black History Month and beyond as an opportunity to discuss our past, recognize injustices and promote anti-racism.

Many other schools and classes across our district are engaged in anti-racism initiatives this month and year round.

Some districtwide efforts to educate, listen, learn and keep these important conversations of equity and unity going include:

• The recently approved Black History 12 course, being offered in several of our secondary schools this September.
  
  
• The district's annual #RaceMatters Youth Symposium which provides students a safe and encouraging place to discuss issues, events and strategies that address racism at school and in the wider community.
  
  
• The district's Safe Schools department's Next 100 Years program, in partnership with the Surrey RCMP, pairs Grade 6 and 7 elementary students with youth mentors from affiliated secondary schools to discuss issues around culture, identity and community. Students meet biweekly for presentations and activities exploring themes of diversity, anti-racism and anti-oppression.
  
  
• The Wraparound (WRAP) program, which promotes acceptance and a sense of community among youth through team-based initiatives. In 2020, students in the WRAP program painted Common-Unity, an award-winning 150-foot mural promoting positivity and racial inclusivity, and a second Every Child Matters mural in 2021 to honour the victims of Canada's residential schools.

Surrey Schools is proud to celebrate Black History Month and support our students and staff in learning about and honouring the important legacy and contributions of Black Canadians.