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Health & Fitness

Middle Schoolers Gain Perspective on Dr. King in Special Performance

In honor of the upcoming Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Ranney School welcomed students from Oak Hill Academy (Lincroft) and Sisters Academy (Asbury Park) to campus on January 13. The students joined Ranney’s Middle School (grades 6-8) for a performance by More than Music, also known as the “At the Table Group.” These professional touring artists from the Denver, Colorado, and Memphis, Tennessee, areas are committed to honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through performances, workshops and online resources. While at Ranney, the group of talented musicians and singers performed their multimedia event, At the Table with Dr. King.

“It was a great opportunity to host this well-known program while on their East Coast tour, and more so to host other schools, allowing them to experience the performance as well,” said Head of Middle School David Fischer.

The program opened with excerpts from famous speeches made by Dr. King along with a brief history of the civil rights movement. The performers kept the audience engaged by encouraging students and teachers to stand, clap and sing along during songs. At one point, students participated in a mock civil rights protest and marched around RSPA Panther Hall, holding signs and enjoying music from the band. “We learn so much about Martin Luther King, Jr. in our classes and it was so cool to have it taught to us in a different way,” said sixth-grade Ranney student Mira Casriel (Highlands). “It was really fun that everyone could get involved and join in singing and dancing…. I really enjoyed learning more.”

Slideshows of symbolic and historical images were shown as a backdrop during the musical numbers, which included “Lean on Me” and “This Little Light of Mine,” to give students a better understanding of why Dr. King and many other activists were so passionate about civil rights. The group also showed videos from their travels to Washington, D.C. to visit the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. They also spoke to the students about the importance of pursuing their dreams, listening to others and giving back to the community. One resonating quote from Dr. King was: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?’”

The performance concluded with audio recordings and visual coverage about Dr. King’s assassination and the lasting impact he had on society. One of the group’s final numbers was “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” a song performed at Dr. King’s funeral by his dear friend Mahalia Jackson.

“The program was dynamic, engaging and very entertaining,” said Mr. Fischer. “It shared an excellent message and our students were exposed to the important role Martin Luther King, Jr. played in our history, while also learning an important lesson about the significance of service to others.”

At the Table with Dr. King is one of the many ways Ranney School is celebrating diversity. The Upper School Diversity Club attends annual Diversity Conferences and has hosted multiple Diversity Workshops with guest speakers over the years. This fall, the Diversity Club welcomed guest speaker Dr. Michael Fowlin to campus as one of their initiatives. The actor, psychologist and poet leads programs across the country and abroad to address the issues of race, discrimination, violence, prevention and personal identity (read the full story here). The student-led club, advised by Upper School faculty members Dr. Nicole Martone, Mrs. Marie Curry and Mr. Mark DiGiovanni, strives to help teens discuss tough issues and make wise choices.

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