Tinley Park High School Celebrates Black History Month

Tinley Park High School's Seekers Diversity Club is responsible for a wide array of celebrations and events at the school. Most notably, their International Fest draws hundreds of community members every year.

With February being Black History Month, the Seekers Diversity Club wanted to find a way to teach their peers in a fun and engaging manner. Club Advisor and Tinley Park High School World Languages Teacher, Selime Baftiri-Ballazhi sat down with Seekers Diversity Club executive board members Peyton Fox, Mya Williams, and club member Calin Jackson to start brainstorming.

"Our goal was to let our students know there are resources here that allow them to connect to worlds that are different than theirs," said Baftiri-Ballazhi.

The month kicked off with a black history trivia contest where students could answer trivia questions heard in the morning announcements. Students who answered the question correctly would then be entered into a raffle to win a range of prizes.

Additionally, Tinley Park High School held a door decorating contest for students and staff to work together to create celebratory doors. A wide variety of doors were decorated depicting different cultures, African American icons, and historical facts.

The main event, however, was a special presentation that the Seekers Diversity Club held for all freshman through senior English classes. During the presentation, club members spoke about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and PWIs (Predominately White Institutions). As part of this presentation, 2011 Tinley Park High School Alum Erica Anderson Face-timed with students. Anderson, who has attended both an HBCU and a PWI, was able to share her experiences with students.

"It's a common misconception that all students at PWIs and HBCUs are all one nationality," Anderson said. "We are living in a time where both of these institutions are open to all races. What's great about HBCUs is that they help us understand worlds and cultures that may not always be similar to our own."

In addition to Anderson's experiences, Seekers Diversity Club members showed visual examples of how culture differs at HBCUs vs. PWIs. One example they used, was a video of strolling and stepping which is common in HBCU fraternities.

The information seemed to resonate with the Tinley Park Titans. Especially because many of the students seemed unfamiliar with HBCUs. With 107 HBCUs across the country, students can thank Seekers Diversity Club for the introduction to these colleges and universities they may have not initially considered as an option.

To finish the month off strong, Seekers Diversity Club celebrated with a dynamic dance performance by the Najwa Dance Corps from Chicago. The Titan gym was alive with energy! Senior Mahliyah Chelikas opened up the ceremony by reading a poem by Langston. The performance consisted of dances and lessons educating students on the different instruments that are used in the traditional dances, as well as participation by the students.