8th Grade Expedition is Two Learning Experiences for the Price of One

On Wednesday, our 8th grade class went to the Museum of African American History to see the Black Books exhibition. According to 8th grader Rayne Libcomb, "in the African American Museum it displayed a mix of magazines, pictures, books, posters, drawings and many more to represent all the situations and big parts of black history that went on then. It conveyed things like pictures and words of how the middle passage boats were set up, how they were taken, lived their lives for those months and what they went through." 

Rayne's classmate Zakiya Lomax reflected on a specific part of the museum: "One of my favorite exhibits in the museum was learning about the fugitive slave act... We saw posters that warned the blacks that slave catchers were coming after them. I found this unique because it made me mad that once  slaves were free they could be enslaved again."
 

The students continued on their tour of history to see the film "Selma". Cities across the U.S. have coordinated a national campaign called #SelmaforStudents that encourages business leaders to underwrite free admission to film for students in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. Our students were greatly affected by the film; in his reflection, Rayne wrote, "In the Selma movie it gave visuals of what went on then so people could really feel and see what happened. By actually watching it you start to get more of what you talk about in class. It was a heart-warming, sad, dramatic beautiful masterpiece.

"My favorite scene from the movie, Selma, was when after a man named Jimmie Lee Jackson died. Instead of being sad and giving up, they grieved for a while, Mr. King held a burial and made a flawless speech and it empowered them and made them fight twice as hard for their freedom to vote."

Zakiya wrote about her favorite scene, as well: "My favorite scene from the movie was when the pastor from Boston died. Not only was it sad that he died but that he was white and beaten to death by his own race for siding with black people. I was happy when Martin Luther King stood up for him and other people he didn't know after they died. He mourned the death of many people even though he didn't know them. I found that incredibly courageous and brave to mourn the death of unknown people and to put on a happy face for the community."

In their writing, the students were asked to talk about what their experiences at the museum and watching the film meant to them. Rayne wrote, "the experience affected me because it showed me all the pain and struggles black people went through and how they pushed through it and kept fighting for their justice and equality; It gave me a better understanding, plus I've never really actually understood the hard, depressing things they experienced until I actually saw it with my own eyes." Zakiya wrote, "In the past taking a stand helped get us to where we are today. In The African American Museum and The Movie Selma the importance and overall idea was taking a stand. The experience I had made me think that my grandparents and great-grandparents stood up to make my future better. I am proud to honor my family today."

Senator Linda Dorcena-Forry visits Conservatory Lab

On Monday, January 12, our school was honored with a visit from State Senator Linda Dorcena-Forry. Senator Dorcena-Forry has served in government for over 15 years. Throughout her career, she has championed improvements for education in Massachusetts. She is the proud parent of four children, hails as a proud Dorchester native, and her husband Bill is the editor and publisher of the Dorchester Reporter.

The Senator was thoroughly impressed with our school's efforts to disseminate our practices to other public schools. She said she was glad to see such an active institution that doesn't want to keep all its practices to itself. ""This is such an outstanding school, I want to invite the entire Boston delegation to come and view it," she said as she left.

Senator Dorcena-Forry serves as a board member for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester, the Milton Library Foundation, Friends for Children, College Bound Dorchester, among others. We are delighted that a legislator so concerned with education was so thoroughly engaged with our school! We look forward to the Senator's visits in the future.

Henry Matisse Visits K1 to Help Launch "Portrait of an Artist" Expedition

Take Note: 

• Please tell any friends and acquaintances interested in having their child attend Conservatory Lab about the 15th Annual Boston Charter Public School Showcase! It will be on Saturday, January 24 from 9 AM to 12 PM, at the Watson Auditorium at the Wentworth Institute of Technology, 550 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115.

• Applications are due Friday, February 27 and the lottery will be held on March 12.  Reminder, if you have a child who is a sibling of a current student, you get preference in the lottery but you must apply on time!

• Please tell any friends and acquaintances interested in having their child attend Conservatory Lab about the website to see a list of upcoming Prospective Family Tours and to find applications in several languages.