Blanca Vazquez, September 17, 2007
Ms. Vazquez is a long-time activist focusing on issues in the Puerto Rican/Latino community, and in areas of race and policing. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York City, she holds a B.A. in Psychology from the City College of New York, a Master of Education from Richmond College, and an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University. She is the founding editor of CENTRO, Journal of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, CUNY. Since the fall of 2000, Ms. Vazquez has worked on the Viewing Race Project (http://www.viewingrace.org), a curated collection of films and videos that promotes dialogue on issues of race and ethnicity in US life. NVR recently compiled “After 9.11: Videos that Promote Knowledge, Understanding and Tolerance,” a collection geared for use by nonprofit and community organizations to address crucial issues the nation faces in the wake of the Sept. 11th attacks.

Terrence Roberts, October 29, 2007
At the age of fifteen, Terrence Roberts, along with eight other black teenagers, faced daily harassment to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957. These courageous students became known to the nation as the Little Rock Nine. A graduate of California State University at Los Angeles (BA), and UCLA (MSW), Dr. Roberts obtained his Ph.D. in psychology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. He is now a professor in the Master's in Psychology Program at Antioch University. A much sought after speaker, Dr. Roberts also heads a management consultant group dedicated to improving human relations in the workplace. Since 1998 he has been the official desegregation consultant for the Little Rock, Arkansas School District, and provides similar services to school districts around the nation.

Linda Biehl, Mzikhona “Easy” Nofemela and Ntobeko Peni, February 6, 2008

Soledad O'Brien, March 7, 2008
Ms. O'Brien, an anchor and special correspondent for CNN: Special Investigations Unit, will be principal for a day.

Caroline Hunter, March 17, 2008
Ms. Hunter is a former Polaroid employee and member of the Fund for a Free South Africa who lead an effort to get Polaroid to divest from South Africa during aparthied.

David Burstein, April 7, 2008
David Burstein, an alumni of Facing History and Ourselves in his high school and a student at Haverford College, founded "18 in '08" to encourage young people to vote in the November elections.

Throughout the day, students repeatedly asked Ntobeko and Easy about conditions in South Africa then and now, why they used violence in their resistance, why they killed Amy, and their feelings about it now.
Ntobeko explained how the Pan-Africanist political movement in South Africa made the deliberate choice to target white civilians in order to make them feel as uncomfortable in their lives as Black South Africans felt everyday. But both Ntobeko and Easy talked eloquently about how those decisions had consequences and how much they regretted them today.

Just as they did last year, students struggled the most with how Linda could not only offer forgiveness to Easy and Ntobeko, but also partner with them on their work today in South Africa through the Amy Biehl Foundation. Linda was able to talk about how she and her late husband, Peter, were well informed by Amy about the conditions and motivation of folks in South Africa, and they knew that Amy would want them to understand the system that created the violence. For example, Amy always told them about how when Blacks were killed, they were listed as numbers, but whites got a whole obituary, and that if she were killed she would want to just be a number. Linda also talked about it wasn't until she attended the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing that she began to see Ntobeko and Easy as individuals and not part of the nameless mass that killed Amy. She also stressed how it wasn't about offering forgiveness to Easy and Ntobeko, but about a willingness to work together.

In their last classroom visit, 10th grader Daniel F. read to them the poem he wrote in his We and They course last year after Linda's last visit, where he put himself in the shoes of Amy, Linda, and Ntobeko and Easy. Linda was brought to tears, and Daniel got hugs from all three. This experience only highlighted the impact of the visit and the ability of the students to think thoughtfully about the challenges of forgiveness and reconciliation. Students in the 10th grade English classes at FHS wrote this letter
to the visitors with their reflections from the visit.

It is already winter of our third year here at FHS. I am writing to you just as the first semester student portfolio presentations are wrapping up, giving me the opportunity to reflect on the hard work that the FHS faculty are doing to support the amazing achievements of our students. As you will see from the articles and student work in this newsletter, our staff is dedicated to giving the FHS students rich educational experiences that help apply what they have learned to their everyday lives. It is a challenging, yet thoroughly exciting, endeavor that inspires us daily.

Students, like teachers, have had a lot to balance on their plate this past month. At each grade level, aside from normal day-to-day class work, students were required to assemble their completed work from the semester and then present a summary of it to a combination of peers, FHS staff and guests. It was required of all students to compose a summary cover letter as well as either produce a portfolio (in 9th and 10th grade) showcasing their work or conduct a panel discussion displaying their comprehension in each subject area. Students worked hard to complete assignments, some even staying after school to finish. Juniors, who are by now veterans of this process, helped new students understand and prepare for their first portfolios. This focus and hard work demonstrated that students recognize that their continued effort and participation has an real impact, that their work reflects on the FHS community, and that they take pride in being able to meet, and in many instances exceed, the expectations of their teachers.

The articles in this newsletter recount some of the teaching moments, projects, and hard work that helped prepare students for the portfolio sessions. I am so proud of how each of these people, including teachers, teaching artists from our arts partner Working Playground and a volunteer, are committed to continually working to provide their students with a more effective, more relevant classroom experience. Their dedication and selflessness are the backbone of the success of this school and its students.

Before you proceed to read about these exciting achievements, I’d like to bring your attention to a new feature of our curriculum: community service learning projects. In preparation for our first 12th grade class, FHS is looking for organizations where we can place students for service internships. We consider this an integral aspect of the senior seminar experience, where students integrate the Facing History and Ourselves concept of “Choosing to Participate” into their high school experience. We are actively looking for community partners for this project, and I urge you to contact the school with any potential opportunities.

Thank you all very much and I hope you enjoy this edition of the newsletter.

Best,
Gillian

One of the many wonderful aspects of the culture at the Facing History School is how welcoming and appreciative the faculty are of the many volunteers, interns, tutors, etc who come to work in their classrooms. Whether they are America Reads tutors from NYU, interns/student teachers from the various Schools of Education in the city, or volunteers through Facing History and Ourselves, every “outside” person has made and can continue to make a significant contribution to the quality of the school experience for both students and faculty. And in return, it is a joy to realize that any offer of assistance, that paying attention to individual needs of students, that the simple question, “May I help?” is so appreciated by faculty.

I recently interviewed one of the America Reads tutors from NYU, a young woman by the name of Pamela Jao, who exemplifies how rewarding helping out at the school can be. I asked what her experience has been like over the past semester, what she has learned, and what suggestions she might have for those who may be interested in helping in the future. Pamela noted that while she was initially anxious about working at the school, as soon as she noticed how smart and motivated many of the students are, she then assumed that her experience would “be a breeze.” Her only previous experience with working with students had been in a science museum where she had “one shot” contacts. In contrast, at FHS, she quickly learned that success one day with a lesson didn’t necessarily mean that the learning would carry over to the next, and that if you take two steps forward one day, you may take one step back the next!

Pamela soon realized that the teachers to whom she’s assigned are incredibly talented and have a huge amount on their plate. This meant that, rather than sitting back and waiting for direction, she quickly learned how much more useful it was to use her own initiative while in class and to communicate with the teachers after class. She wonders how they can “do this every day,” consistently demonstrating their love and respect for their students and dedication to the craft of teaching. Her one regret? She’d love more one-on-one time with students who struggle. She’s recognized how helpful the extra attention can be. What can be better than that—to realize how one’s contribution can make a difference!

In our 9th grade Experiencing Literature class we read August Wilson’s play Fences. After completing the play, students wrote eulogies for the main character, Troy Maxson. We were a bit hesitant initially to ask students to take such a non-traditional writing assignment and truly attempt to engage themselves in the process. However, the students produced incredible results and their efforts were observed during the step-by- step process, as well as in their final products. The culminating event was an in-class funeral for Troy, during which students presented their eulogies.

Not only did students complete the assignment, but the majority of the students also expressed that this was a project they enjoyed doing. They really felt that they learned from the process. As a teacher, the rate of completion for this project was the highest I have ever experienced. Overall, I believe that the non-traditional nature of the project, as well as the extensive scaffolding set the students up for success from the very beginning.

The highlight of this project was without a doubt the culminating event. All three sections of the class presented on the same day. The room was draped in black, soft blues music played and the students filed into the room in a serious and almost somber manner. Each student delivered their eulogy in front of the room. Some presentations were melancholy and depressing, while others were witty and humorous. Each student was able to use their own voice within the voice of the character they chose. The range of perspectives varied immensely. These were proud moments for both teachers and students alike. I look forward to working on this project again next year with the next incoming class of Facing History students.

Below is an example of a eulogy, this one ably written by Victoria M.

My Dad

Good Morning everybody, for those who don’t know me, I’m Cory, Troy’s son. I’m here to talk about my father. Troy was the most powerful and ugly man I ever met in my life. The sad part was that he was my father and I have to live with that. I remember the time when my father didn’t believe in my dream. He didn’t believe in anyone‘s dream. That’s what hurt the most out of everything. I never talked to him about anything, because he never listened to anyone. During that time I realized that, at that point, that he would never believe in my dream or in me. At that very point, I hated him, and I did for a while. ‘’Papa done went up to the school and told Coach Zellman I can’t play football no more. Wouldn’t even let me play the game. Told him to tell recruiter not to come”(Wilson, pg 57).

Despite, all the bad he did, he also showed me how to be responsible and take care of my family. I remember when he said to me that he don’t have to care about me; that it’s just his responsibility to take care of me. “A man got to take care of his family. You live in my house…sleep your behind on my bedclothes…fill your belly up with my food...cause you my son. You my flesh and blood. Not ‘cause I like you! ‘Cause it’s my duty to take care of you. I owe a responsibility to you!...”(Wilson, pg. 38). Right then, I realized that he had a responsibility to me and he didn’t have to give a damn about me. Then there was the way he talked about life. Since he didn’t know any other way to put it, he compared life to baseball and somehow it all made sense. When I was younger, I remember him always talking about me striking’ out. He would say, “Alright that’s strike two. You stay away from around me, boy. Don’t you strike out” (Wilson, pg 83). Boy, I’m going to miss that. He was always talking about baseball. I would never have thought I would say that I miss that. As a result, all of this made me the man I am today. I would be lying if I said I’m nothing like him, because I am. I’ve learned to live with that. At least I am like him in a good way. He never said I love you and that hurt me the most. He showed me tough love. I hope that I will be able to pass on that story to my son, just like he did with me.

Thank you for your time!

As a former school Principal, I have always believed that the most significant attribute of any school is that its students feel known as individuals. Nothing can be more distressing for a student in the school than to feel a sense of anonymity. But when the Principal greets students each day by name and with an engaging question or comment; when teachers, either in or outside of their classrooms recognize and engage the individual interests, talents, hopes and learning styles of their students; when every student feels there is at least one trusted adult in the school community to whom she can turn to voice a concern; such anonymity is dissolved and hence, it is these elements that are the best barometers of the health of the school community.

Two months ago, I made my first visit to the Facing History School as part of the annual Facing History and Ourselves Board retreat.

Later that morning, I attended an important panel of school administrators talking about the work and the challenges of their schools. They were all informative, but the contributions by Mark Otto, Dean of Student Affairs, were particularly notable as he described the Facing History School’s efforts to ensure that each student recognize, respect and realize her individual potential was a fitting cap to the visit and left no doubt in my mind that this is a school community that truly cares for and believes in its pupils.

Many of our student leaders have also attended conferences and special performances that support their growth as student leaders. A notable recent event was a student conference about hate crimes at the New York Tolerance Center in which they had discussions with students from New York City and Los Angeles. Student leader Danielle Cureton described the experience at the center as “eye-opening.” She said, “I was surprised about what the students from LA were concerned about,” because it was so similar to the concerns that she and her peers have: gang activity and race relations. As a reward for their recent hard work planning events, the group attended a special performance at the Bowery Poetry Club this fall in which they learned about a griot, a West African oral historian who tells stories through music.

Student Leadership at the Tolerance Center

We hope that the next half of the year will bring many more opportunities and events for all students at Facing History to benefit and enjoy. Currently, students are working on two community service projects: Save Darfur and FHS Recycling. Other ongoing projects include a student newspaper, a yearbook, and a penny drive for the project “Pennies for Patients,” and an end of the year trip to Six Flags.

In a recent Photography II class at Facing History High School, the students were debating the ethical and technical challenges inherent in documenting the disparity between rich and poor in New York City. Using vocabulary words from the Facing History and Ourselves curriculum as a starting point, the students created storyboard drawings of images that they would like to photograph for their Photo Essay assignment.

Daniel F. and Jenny S. prepare the equipment

Justina D., Suspense

Nicholas M. at work

The debate continued for most of the class and no definitive answers were achieved. However, the process of asking the questions challenged the student’s approach to their own creative process and changed the way they spoke about the documentary photography that we reviewed in class.

Rudi E., Immigrant Labor

For me this is the joy of teaching photography. Photography challenges students to confront their own assumptions and to ask themselves deeper questions about the barrage of images that surround them everyday. It also provides them with the power to shape their world and tell their own story from their own creative perspective. It is an accessible medium that allows the novice to make images like a professional but requires hard work and many years to truly master. The photographs that the students create can transcend cultural differences and spark conversation, giving us insight into their lives and raising awareness about issues that effect us all.

Marianna L., Deep in Thought

Starling R., Newborn, Old Born

Finally, I'm very proud to highlight two of our students, whose work was featured as part of a student exhibit at MOMA: Marianna Luna and Daniel Familia.

If you were to list which ancient civilizations are most commonly studied in New York City history classes, your list would most likely include some combination of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India, Greece and Rome. And well it should; these civilizations hold the keys to deciphering the origins of many of the world’s current religions, governments, languages and technology. But how do we open this ancient world to the minds of our students? How do we explain to adolescents the importance of a civilization that no longer exists? How do we help students make this history their own? This semester, we found our answers buried just below the surface of New York City’s skyscrapers and restaurants.

The humanities department at the Facing History School began its study of ancient civilizations with an in depth look at life in the school’s local neighborhood – Hell’s Kitchen, NYC.

Our students took a walking tour of this larger than life textbook. They saw the music studio where artists like John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix recorded, covered now by construction scaffolding for the “Hit Factory Condominiums.” They saw the bathtub were a Confederate veteran died from a knife wound, now stored on the second floor of the Landmark Tavern. And they walked the path of the West Side Trolley, formerly policed by men on horseback, now buried beneath the concrete of 11th Avenue. As we walked the 15 blocks surrounding our school, students began to point out the differences in architecture between modern and antiquated apartments and others noticed the dates engraved into the cornerstones of buildings, some dating back to 1859.

Students also began to make more complex observations. “Why are they only tearing out the inside of the buildings; why are they keeping the outside?” “Why are they building over these historic sites?” “How will people know what happened here?” Our exploration of local history evolved into a dialogue about the preservation of historical landmarks. And, within just a month of school beginning, as we approached the final corner of our tour we heard, “what history happened there?”

As we debriefed our tour of hidden history and notorious tales, our students grappled with why they had never before noticed these landmarks. Our discussion led us to an understanding that while history is alive, it takes observation, analysis and exploration to find its deeper roots. If the modern-day shops and apartments of 10th Avenue were adequately hiding such secrets, how much more difficult would it be to study a civilization which collapsed thousands of years ago? What tools do historians need in order to uncover the daily life of Pharaohs buried deep beneath the Egyptian sands? What questions must historians ask to fully appreciate the technology required to build the world’s first irrigation systems? If Hell’s Kitchen of today was inspired by its predecessors, how has the world been influenced by the ancient peoples around the globe?

At the Facing History School, history is not the subject of rote memorization. We work as partners with our students to generate questions about the content, and research together to find possible solutions. Our walk through local history was an engaging introduction to an in depth study of the ancient world. We began by trying to understand why early peoples first formed communities. Using primary and secondary sources to research the Neolithic Revolution, our students discovered that early peoples, much like today’s teens, grouped together for protection and resources. But, how did these first “groups” differ around the world? Students were given a choice of civilizations to study (Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India, Greece and Rome, of course), working as groups to explore the religion, government, technology, record keeping and geography of their chosen civilization. Students analyzed pictures and maps of the areas, did independent research and shared their findings with fellow group members.

After completing their independent research, students served as liaisons of their civilization and met with other student “ambassadors.” Their task was to find similarities and differences between each of their respective civilizations. Walking through the class, we heard the same keen observations and analysis as we did on the streets of New York. “China and Egypt both used symbols as their written language.” “While Greek citizens could vote for their government, Egyptian Pharaohs were born into power.” “All of these civilizations formed near rivers, which provided necessary resources.” Student analysis touched on both practical and theoretical aspects of these civilizations, as well. “America, like Greece, believes in democracy. But, like Greece, not everyone is always treated equally.” The class’s final assessment was to form new groups, now with members of different civilizations, and to create a travel brochure based on their research, discussing the pros and cons of each represented civilization. Our students will next use their historian skills to explore the foundation of world religions and the world’s first cultural encounters.

My mentor, David Hackett Fischer, explains, “History is the study of people making choices, and those choices making a difference.” The humanities department strives to help our students recognize how the choices of the past continue to influence our world today, and how our students’ choices of today will influence the future. We will continue to pose and explore essential questions, which ask our students to analyze their role in the world’s history. As the year continues, we are excited not only to learn history, but to learn from history as well.

I can’t believe that the year is already done! In our second year of operation, the staff and students of FHS have accomplished and grown so much, and it was all packed into an incredibly short amount of time. We are well on our way to getting the school ready for the start of year 3 in September, but I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the successes of last year first.

A group of students at Northeastern University:

The students really loved the Facing History and Ourselves office, where they were made to feel so special—and I felt like a proud mother introducing the kids to the staff there.

This year also marked many firsts: members of the 10th grade took the math regents exam in January (and achieved an amazing 70% pass rate!), the school held it's first GLBTQ Awareness Day, and we held our 1st annual Ubuntu, a closing celebration and art exhibit that showcased the hard work and talents of all the students in a way that highlighted the themes of FHS. The celebration was built on the themes of the Facing History and Ourselves class for 10th grade, which focused on the transition from apartheid to democracy in South Africa. I would like to send out a very special thank you to Working Playground and our artist-in-residence Fabian Saucedo, whose partnership enabled this celebration to be a true success. Working Playground continues to bring professional artists into our classrooms, offering courses that expand their art skills (in poetry, graphic arts, dance, drama, drumming, and photography) as well as incorporating art into humanities and Facing History classes. The kids were so excited and proud of themselves as they presented the fantastic work to the staff, parents, and other visitors. The celebration also highlighted something else for me: at FHS, our staff and students are really happy. They feel proud of the school and their part in shaping it, and they want to be a part of the community.

Another milestone for FHS was our first School Quality Review, one of the evaluation mechanisms the school district uses to track school performance and progress. In a result exceptional for new schools, FHS was rated proficient. In addition to being delighted with the result, the evaluation process gave the staff a chance to reflect on our practice and focus once again on our goals for the school.

In terms of student assessment, we held our fourth semester-end portfolio review session last month, where students assess and present their own work, describing their achievements, growth areas, and challenges to a panel of teachers and visitors—including a number of parents. This year we were delighted to see real growth in the skills of our 10th graders, and were able to refine the process in order to make the experience more effective for 9th graders. The students were clearly proud of their accomplishments, and finished the year able to clearly articulate their strengths and weaknesses, and to describe what they had learned over the course of the year. I am so proud of how much they have progressed!

Finally, we ended the year with a community service day, where groups of students went to different sights around the city to take part in community service activities.
Students cleaning up a park:

Everyone—students and staff alike—came back excited to have shared the experience. The activity introduced a number of the students to what community service really means. One 9th grade student, Nicholas M., told me, “I never realized what it really meant to give back to the community—what community service meant.” He’s now getting more involved, and started by volunteering at FHS’s Summerbridge program for incoming students. He wants to help next year’s 9th graders get ready for high school and adjust to the new environment. Other students are also doing exciting projects this summer. A number of our students are participating in a competitive summer RAPP program for girls, which educates teens about relationships and develops teen leaders who can educate others about this issue, and two FHS students are part of Sadie Nash, a program that helps young women value their experience and turn it into leadership skills that they can use to make change.

This is a great segue into the coming year. We started hiring staff for year three in April. All of our positions are filled except for a science and special education position, and we are very excited about the incoming class of teachers. In addition to the new teaching staff, FHS also hired a parent coordinator and business manager to help coordinate an increasingly complex administrative office.

As I mentioned above, we are in the midst of a Summerbridge program, led by FHS teachers and ably supported by seven pre-service teachers from the Department of Education, plus other volunteers. Twenty of our incoming 9th graders have opted to participate. Their summer task is to design their “dream school,” and it includes three academic components, plus a complementary art course. In the English portion, students are tackling issues of individual and group identity through writing. Through a humanities course, they are learning about the history of schooling, and are focusing in particular on the issue of segregated schools in the South through Facing History’s Choices in Little Rock curriculum. The Math project is to create a blueprint of a dream school. The students will present final portfolios on July 27. Following the end of this program, we will be running a summer session for upperclassmen who need additional credits in order to complete their credit requirements, and new teachers will be participating in a seminar led by Facing History and Ourselves. It is a busy summer indeed!

Next year, I will be focused on a few key elements of the school’s curriculum: building up a robust, progressive community service program, introducing a new Facing History and Ourselves course on Race and Membership in the 9th grade, continuing to refine the advisory class that is at the center of our positive school culture, and starting the official college application process with our 11th graders. All of these are major pieces of the FHS experience, and will help us to make our students’ experiences truly unique, and will help them prepare for a bright future after graduation. In addition to these projects, we will also begin the year focused on welcoming our new staff and students to the school community.

Before I go, I want to thank you all for your continued support of FHS through funding, school visits, and tireless volunteer support. The resources, expertise, and time you have given the school make it what it is, and remind the staff, students and me that we have an amazing network of people who share our dream for education. Thank you so much.

-- Gillian

With spring in the air, the Facing History School’s advisory groups focused on Healthy Relationships. Students in the ninth grade learned about healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, while students in the 10th grade focused on gender roles, stereotypes and homophobia.

I was able to spend some time with each advisory and provide a series of workshops designed to help them look closely at the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. The first workshop helped students define abuse and identify the five types of abuse: emotional, verbal, sexual, physical, and financial. Students were also able to explore ways in which our personal experiences as well as our families, friends and the media contribute to our ideas about relationships. In the workshops, pairs of students were asked to look at various relationship scenarios and discuss whether they thought the scenarios were healthy, unhealthy or abusive. As a class they discussed the scenarios and shared their views about why people are abusive and why people stay in abusive relationships. We then talked about ways to help friends in abusive relationships, and ways to get help if in an abusive situation. Three students were given a chance to share their personal definitions of love and as a class talk about how complex and confusing love can be. The workshop concluded by looking at what qualities and behaviors are needed to have healthy relationships.

I enjoyed stepping into the advisories and getting a chance to talk firsthand with FHS students about a very important issue that many teens face. For the most part students were refreshingly empathic and understanding of the struggles that their peers in abusive relationships face. Students were able to relate the discussions to things they see in their everyday lives and talk openly with each other about the subject. I hope that the workshops helped open a discussion that will continue for these students so that they know the difference between abusive and healthy relationships.

Our second annual step up trip to Washington D.C. in early June was another memorable experience for both students and teachers. Ninth grade students who were promoted to tenth grade earned the trip, and thirty chose to attend. Students were able to both experience the history of our country visiting the nation’s capital and also visit college campuses to get a glimpse of what their future can bring.

The group on the Mall in Washington.

The trip also helped students make a connection with the readings, lectures and activities that students experienced in the classroom throughout the year. FHS teacher Gio Anchundia recalled, “the trip was a great experience for the kids, some of the kids that initially did not want to attend said that they were glad that they went on the trip.” Students were able to visit some of the monuments that honor past wars and presidents. Two favorites were the Lincoln memorial and the World War II memorial.

The highlight of this part of the trip was a visit to the Holocaust Museum and Memorial. Students all take a semester-long “We and They” course based on Facing History and Ourselves’ primary case study, Holocaust and Human Behavior. In this course, students learn about themselves as individuals and as a community by studying the same themes during the rise of the Nazis in Germany and the Holocaust. Students walked through the museum investigating each piece, reflecting and asking questions. Student Cristina Roman reflected on the experience saying, “Being here is a connection to what we have learned in ‘We and They,’ I could spend the whole day learning about the Holocaust here.” All students agreed that they were proud to be able to attend this trip and felt that it was a once in a lifetime memory.

I made a connection with Nelson Mandela when he was away from his friends and family while in prison. I felt his pain when I was sent away to a detention center for action not of my own. I felt isolated and alone always having to stay in the basements not being allowed to enjoy the school. Being the only girl in a classroom full of boys always being mean trying to touch you and no one hears or sees any wrong doing. I have learned to become more focused and learned how to concentrate on myself in order to be able to grow. To be open to new ideas and experiences. –Sigourney S-W.

One of the themes that we studied was forgiveness. In each of these books and plays there is a certain point when one of the main characters argues and then reconciles with another. We’ve learned that even if a close family member dies you should forgive because it is not good to hold a grudge against people and you should be able to forgive people for their mistakes. Another theme we discussed was to get your point of view across. This is important because it can make a change in the world. If you are the first person to speak up and speak your mind others who are afraid will soon speak up… I can compare myself to Zwelakhe from the play “Bopha!” because he knew what was going on and tried to speak up about it just how even though it is not the same way I speak up about things that are going on but through text and I just do not sit around and let things happen. We both refuse to be bystanders. -Bibiana A.

What I have learned about the themes of rebellion and reconciliation is standing up for what is right. I have learned about how Mandela made a difference and how he didn’t care what got in his way and kept fighting for what he wanted. Apartheid was a disaster in South Africa. It made a big change with the white people, black people, and colored people. Now people go back and see how it happened so it won’t happen again. Nelson Mandela was a guy with a good heart and appreciated every little thing that he had. I connect with him because I appreciate what I have as well. What I have learned in this class that I will take for next year is all the keys to a good piece of writing and how each leader made a change throughout the world. –Viviana R.

This year we have learned about forgiveness, moving on and putting the differences aside, making peace, recovering and rebuilding.–Olga V.

I have learned many important lessons about Rebellion and Reconciliation throughout the year. I learned that it is important to forgive those who commit mistakes in order to move on. In addition, it is important to reconcile with those people and set aside your differences. We must look back at apartheid and make change. Today, I see myself as Chino from Bodega Dreams, a kid that just wants to please everyone. Hopefully, in the future I become more like Katzen from Buckingham Palace: District Six, and start helping people who are in need of it. I have learned the importance of forgiving. It is easier to live without resentment. –Arturo A.

Excerpts from students’ essays on Richard Rive's Buckingham Palace: District Six

From the time we are born on this earth we learn and capture characteristics and actions from our society. This makes a big impact on us because what we learn most of the time not only becomes a habit but a lifestyle. Buckingham Palace by Richard Rive shows how a small community is affected by their society but mostly by their government. People become unjust when an unjust government rules them; however they can overcome this lifestyle when they see the truth, making it possible to confront the situation…In every point of Buckingham Palace: District Six you see the negative movements of the people when they have a government that shows a destructive policy. It relates to Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave.” Men were raised in a society that showed them images of how life is, using shapes of animals and objects shown to them through shadows on a wall. These object explained reality. But when one decides to leave out of the cave to see and taste what life really is then his mind is changed when seeing the truth. He sees the condition he was brought up in and realizes that he needs to go back to tell the truth about life. Our lives are just like that: we are given news about a situation and it becomes up to us to find the truth and change our state of mind to think, “If one voice can make a change, imagine what many voices can create.” –Raquel M.

In this world one must learn to be there for one another even during disagreement or tough times. We must learn to look at the big picture instead of focusing at the little pieces of the photo. The novel Buckingham Palace, written by Richard Rive, was about apartheid in South Africa and it included different characters who were unique in their own special ways. Through the development of unique characters, Richard Rive demonstrates that in this world there are things worth coming together to fight for and things that are not worth fighting for, we just have to figure out what they are.
Risking a bond of friendship is not worth fighting for if the bond of friendship will be broken. In Buckingham Palace Zoot and Pretty Boy got into an argument, but reconciled… Zoot saw that what was happening was not worth fighting for and reconciled with Pretty Boy. -Michael M.

Having a community is important in the world because other than having a biological family, being in a community is like having another family. A book that really showed the definition of community was a book called Buckingham Palace by Richard Rive. The book took place in South Africa in District Six. The main characters in the book were Mary who they considered a “whore,” Zoot the tap dancer/poetic guy, the Jungle Boys who fought a lot, Pretty-Boy who had sticky fingers and used to always steal, Mrs. Knight who is Mr. Knight’s wife and doesn’t really like Mary because she doesn’t agree with her lifestyle, Knight-Before-Last who is Mary’s ex-husband which abandon her, and Katzen who owns all the houses that are in Buckingham Palace. Through the characters Richard Rive shows that the community can still stick together no matter what they go through. -Janina A.

Sometimes in life people make decisions that aren’t always the best choice. These decisions can sometimes be helpful to us because we can learn from them. The book Buckingham Palace: District Six, by Richard Rive, is about a community in Cape Town, South Africa that experiences many obstacles during apartheid with each other, with outsiders and especially with the all-white ruling government. This book proves that you should always be there and forgive the people who are important to you even if they are doing something that you may not agree with.
Reconciliation was a major part of life for the people living in District Six. Faith, one of the characters from the book, was harassed. She went right to her good friend Mary for some support. Mrs. Knight, Faith’s mother, was mad at Mary because Faith didn’t go to her before she went to Mary. Mrs. Knight’s aggravation resulted in an argument with Mary. The following morning, Mrs. Knight realized that her actions against Mary were wrong so she decided to apologize. On page 125 Mrs. Knight says to Mary, “I want to tell you and the Butterfly and all the girls how ashamed I am about last night.” This shows how Mrs. Knight learned from her mistake and decided to try and make things better. –Arturo A.

The following excerpts from student monologues on “Bopha!” imagine the thoughts of a perpetrator who was jailed for his crimes.

I was trained so hard that my black skin turned white on me making me think that I was white. After Naledi got fired I remember how that night I couldn’t sleep because nightmares of slideshows with picture of all the faces that I saw die. I realized it was really me killing all these people. Now I find myself here pleading for amnesty. I was really forced to train my people to kill my people. The government was running like this. That’s why I did it. I did it only out of fear. I was scared to be killed by another white guy. I find myself caged like an animal, in a cell that if you were taller than the average, you wouldn’t be able to sleep because your neck would be bent. Trapped with steel bars that mock you every time you look past them because, you are inside this out of fear. This just goes to show that no man, woman, fish or whatever should have fear in their mind. Fear will get you locked up. I know this room where I’m at doesn’t and never will it hold all the mothers of the kids’ fathers I have killed. This room can hold all the chairs in Africa and I wouldn’t have at least ten people sitting down to hear my plea. Throughout this experience I learned that you never know if you can win a fight until you fight. That’s why I say that I truly am sorry for killing the fathers of sons who would maybe be a well known king in Africa and rule so well that the scars that apartheid left would just disappear. –Mac J., “The Kings of Africa”

Since I was younger my heart cried out for equality. Being a policeman gave me a sense of superiority. For the first time I had control over my life, and over others’ lives even. In one case a man had really only committed the crime of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had to use the bathroom and used a Whites Only bathroom. I was outraged his bold rebellion, if I couldn’t use a Whites Only bathroom, this swine damn sure couldn’t. I dragged him out the bathroom while he was still half naked. I didn’t even let him explain the situation, or at least pull up his pants. I remember laughing hysterically as I watched him struggle, and there was shame in his eyes from the embarrassment I caused him. Now I see that it could have easily been me being dragged mercilessly out the bathroom, in front of my son, just as he was in front of his wife my manhood exposed for all to see. I imagine my heartbeat would have been so frantic it was audible. But back then I felt that if you couldn’t beat the system, the only other option was to join them. It was as if being a policeman blindfolded me, from the true oppression and pain apartheid caused. –Zanetta K., “Through the Eyes of a Misguided Soul”

FHS’s commitment to social justice can be seen on a daily basis in our mission, the convictions of our staff and much of our curriculum. The conversations in our classrooms and among faculty routinely look at the intersections of power with race, religion, gender and immigration status. However, we as a school had not united to formally highlight our commitment to work against homophobia and heterosexism until this semester. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Awareness Day (GLBTQ Day) on March 22nd, was organized to coincide with a new unit for 10th grade advisory which focuses on homophobia. The social work team worked with teachers and outside organizations to create a day that included a panel discussion for the whole community in the morning, followed by two hour-long workshops in the afternoon. The goal of the day was two-fold: to begin chipping away at the homophobia in our community, and to expose GLBTQ youth to individuals and organizations that might help them to feel hopeful and connected to others.

The afternoon workshops began after lunch. Organizations from around the city participated, including Generation Q (a youth group from Queens Pride House), GLSEN (Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network), and Urban Justice Center, a working group committed to collaborating with students, educators and activists to address the problems of queer-phobia within the public educational system. The topics covered in the workshops ranged from starting a gay-straight alliance in your school to examining the impact of slurs and stereotypes. Again, the students impressed us with their patience and willingness to take on new and complicated ideas. We look forward to our 2nd annual GLBTQ day when we will utilize what we learned this year.

“The last two days we had AWESOME discussions about the themes of the novel we are reading and here are some of the things the students came up with. When we talked about the characters prioritizing the community and how that's what we've been telling the students since they started school here, Johanna said, ‘but you didn't say it like THAT. We didn't read this book before.’”

Judging and discriminating are worse crimes than petty thievery and prostitution.

Poverty and oppression cannot keep people from forming a community in which people have fun and support each other unless they are forcibly separated from one another.