NIC hosts Human Rights Celebration for MLK Day
“All men are created equal,” according to the passage from the Declaration of Independence, which was signed 235 years ago. It has been 48 years since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It is 2012 and equality is still a work in progress.
Fifth-grade students from all the elementary schools in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls attended two presentations in Boswell Hall Jan. 13, both of them designed to educate children about Martin Luther King Jr.’s great movement and the turbulent times that surrounded it.
According to Tony Stewart, secretary of the board for the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations and former NIC instructor, more than 32,000 fifth-graders have been through this program since 1981. The Task Force opposes discrimination in housing, jobs and public accommodations, works to prevent hate crimes and helps support victims of hate crimes in court. This event is designed to make children aware of the importance of human rights.
“If you start early with young people, they’re more likely, for the rest of their life, to celebrate human rights,” said Stewart.
The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations coordinated The 27th Annual Human Rights Celebration in conjunction with the Coeur d’Alene school districts, North Idaho College and the community.
“It’s a great community effort and it has a long tradition in Coeur d’Alene,” said Kristin Gorringe, principal of Winton Elementary.
Students were greeted and the “Star-Spangled Banner” was sung by fifth-graders Kaytlyn Harris, Borah Elementary, and Jewel Wolf, West Ridge Elementary. As Harris stepped up to the stage, the auditorium became still. The lights were turned off; Harris stood in the spotlight and sang.
Students witnessed Seattle’s Living Voices performer Dior Davenport as she narrated a video about the story of a fictional young black woman “Ruby Bridges” in the ’60s and her involvement with the Civil Rights Movement. The video featured strong images from the time period, including several famous events like when the Freedom Riders bus was bombed.
Throughout the video, Davenport’s narration brimmed with feeling. As her story progressed, an amazing phenomenon occurred, one that most fifth-grade teachers could go their whole career without seeing. The entire auditorium, packed with nearly 1,300 fifth-graders, fell silent as they intently observed Davenport’s performance.
At one point, she described how “Ruby” and her brother were attacked by the police and her brother was almost shot. When the performance ended, Davenport was met with thundering applause.
“It was like ‘Whoa, I’m right there,’” said Tristrin from Prairieview Elementary.
After Davenport’s performance, a group of fifth-grade students from Skyway Elementary performed a musical interpretation called, “Don’t Laugh at Me.” The dance featured choreographed performers dressed in elastic body sox. The dance highlighted that when members of a community are different from the rest, they often become the subject of criticism and hate. At the end of the dance, the performers in sox shed said sox, and joined the other kids to show how everyone is the same if people are willing to look past differences.
During the second session, fifth-graders from the Post Falls school district watched the Seltice dance troupe students perform “Dream Collage,” a more up-beat and energetic dance routine akin to competition cheer performances.
“I like the fifth-grade dancing,” said Trevor from West Ridge Elementary.
At the end of both sessions, students were invited to stand and sing “Get on Your Feet” by Gloria Estefan, an inspiring and powerfully moving 1980’s pop song.
“The people stand up for what they believe in,” said fifth-grader Isabel Romero from Mullen Trail Elementary.
Third, fourth and fifth graders from Winton and Bryan elementary schools created a handmade collage, which was placed on display as the backdrop for performances during the event. They filled out small “I Have a Dream” cards proclaiming each student’s dream. The cards were later linked together in one massive chain that was draped around the auditorium’s main stage.
