Tuesday night, students were encouraged to focus on their futures during an event at City Hall celebrating Black History Month.
“This is our future. These young ladies and young men that showed up tonight, five years from now, they’ll be 18. Ten years from now they’ll be 20 and 30. If we don’t invest in them right now, their future, it may not be as bright,” said City Councilwoman Kim Houston, one of the event’s coordinators.
Presenters gave the students advice on how to live their best lives.
“It was talking mainly about making sure you can be all you can be at home, at school, and in the community. Because the choices you make at home cane influence how you act at school, and how you act at school can influence what people think about you in the community,” said Houston.
The program also discussed African American history, but highlighted current African American leaders.
“Sometimes it’s better if they know that person and they can go back and talk to that person again. Because sometimes it’s like I don’t know them, that was a hundred years ago. This is something current that they can relate to better,” said Fannie Johnson, another event coordinator.
Following the program, students met with various professionals in the community.
“I really loved the event. It informed me on different types of things. I never knew how many people where here that worked here that were like me,” said Makiyah Wilburn, an 11th grader.
The event ended with giving students mementos of success…pearls and ties.
“If they start off with that set of pearls, maybe that will help them want to dress in way to go with those pearls. You can’t wear certain things with pearls. The young men are learning how to tie a tie. They will have that set of pearls that will help them put the rest of their wardrobe together, and that neck tie that says I’m a professional,” said Johnson.
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