Cecil Picard Elementary at Maurice celebrates Black History Month

MAURICE — Students at Cecil Picard Elementary at Maurice recently paid tribute to famous African American achievers from the past and present.
Each day in February, 5th and 6th grade students read synopses of African Americans’ struggles and successes in their fight for justice and equality of rights against unfair laws.
The students also participated classroom activities, such as the Mystery Person Trivia Game. Each of the activities were designed to pay tribute to the contributions that African Americans have made to society as a whole.
In a cumulative activity retired educators, Maxine Levine, Mary Darby, Jackie Mouton, Bridgete Winters, along with the Vermilion Parish School Board’s Dr. James Gray, director of school leadership, attorney Raven Pillette, Father Michael Sucharski of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Maurice, Ingrid Semien, and Sears Assistant Manager, Ashley Tyler, each read books to Pre-K through second-grade students. The selections of books read were from black authors and illustrators.
Byron Starts, a Four-time LHSAA District 7-C champion and coach of the year, former state champion at Grambling High School and University of Louisiana at Lafayette alum, offered students a motivational speech. Starks spoke to third through sixth grade students about his experiences of what it takes to become an All-State and All-America basketball player. Starks spoke about what motivates him and discussed facts from the “Ben Carson Story,” a book he recently read about Carson’s dream and eventual reality of becoming a world class neurosurgeon.
The program ended with local author Shaquana Jackson sharing her story of how her talent as a writer led her to produce shorts stories, poetry, music, novels, etc. Jackson is now publishing her third book, with the goal of it becoming a New York Times bestseller. She said she also produces and directs her own films.
Cecil Picard students participated, read, listened, learned and celebrated what African Americans have experienced and contributed in this lifetime. Program Coordinator Pauline Scott explained that this year’s Black History Month was a “perfect reminder and inspiration for what is possible and for what the future holds.”