ART.MUSIC.
and the rest is History... VOL.3
"Art.Music.andtherestisHistory"isatestamenttothetransformative powerofintegratingartandeducation.Thisbookshowcasesthe remarkablestudent-producedartandmusicattheMelvinH.KingSchool, createdthroughauniquepartnershipwiththeBostonMusicProject. ByinfusingmusicmakingintoELAandSocialStudieslessons,wesee studentsreflectdeeplyontheircoreacademicstudiesandexpress theirunderstandingthroughoriginalmusicandart.
WiththeguidanceofourdedicatedBostonMusicProjectteaching artists,studentsarenotjustpassivelearnersbutactivecreators. Theydiveintotheiracademicsubjects,emergingwitharicher,more profoundcomprehensionandanewfoundconfidenceintheircreative abilities.Thesynergyofmusic,art,andacademiccontentbrings aspiritofjoyandmagictotheclassroom,makinglearningan engagingandfulfillingjourney.
"Art.Music.andtherestis History"invitesyoutowitness theincrediblejourneyofour studentsandthebeautiful synergyofeducation andcreativity.
LISTEN WHILE YOU READ
PROHIBITION
-Davon joseph & Brian Rodriguez
used to be up on the top shelf
Now I’m hidden in the basement was the toast of the town
What’s y’alls new replacement? used to see me at the parties
Weddings, and dirty bars
How bizarre, that those who make, Also break the laws
Homes broken apart, And you thought I was the cause.
Why am I to blame, For all youR little flaws Did you solve all of your problems, By making me illegal?
Have you rid this great nation Of everything that’s evil?
…ya that’s what I thought
Now pour another drink
You and I both know
I’m not as bad as you all think
Artwork by:
AlainLockewasanAfrican Americanwriterfromtheera thatwouldbecomeknownasthe HarlemRenaissance.Lockewould goaroundthestreetsofHarlem andseewhatthecommunitywas like.Heobservedthingssuchasthe music,dancing,joy,self-respect, andmore.Themostimportantpart aboutAlaineLocke’sexperiences waswhathesawontheBlackside ofHarlem.Hecametothebelief thatAfricanAmericanpeoplein generalcouldreallybecome somethingbigintheworld.
HesawthatBlackpeoplewere creatingthingslikepaintingsto showhowtheBlackcommunity sawthemselvesandwhatthey shouldseeandunderstand.His perspectiveaboutbeingBlack andhisunderstandingofthe valuesandprivilegesofbeing Blackwasthatpeopleshould beproudofbeingBlack.
-LeonWalkerII
4millionnon-EuropeanandnonwhitesoldiersfoughtfortheBritish EmpireinWorldWarI.2millionnon whitesoldiersfromFrenchcolonies inAfricaandIndochinafought. Therewere100,000Chinese laborers.Thesepeoplecannotbe seentakingpartinthecelebration oftheWorldWarIvictory,andtheir workwasignored.Germanyused racialstereotypinginthewar.Their pamphletsuggestedthatcolonial soldiersconductedterribleactsof brutality,includingcuttingbody partsofGermansoldiers.
-MichaelBester
WhenBlackWorldWar1soldiers camebacktheyweremorein touchwiththeirAfricanAmerican roots.Beforetheywere "whitewashed",butnowthey wereintouchwiththeirroots becausetheywereunited andnotscared.
-LillyPittsandGabbyMaloney
AlessonthatcanbelearnedfromtheChineseExclusionActisthattheUnited Statesgovernmentdoesn'tcarewhoyouareorwhereyoucomefromaslongas youbenefitthegovernmentoritsstates(evenifyou'renotallowedtobeapart ofit).Themomentthatyoudon'tbenefitthegovernment,you'relookedatas “lessthan”anddisrespected.Oneexampleofthiswayofthinkingwasthe1869 BurlingameTreaty.ThistreatymadeitsothattheChinesecouldfreelyenterand exittheUnitedStates.ThisencouragedChinesemigrationinordertousethemto helpbuildatranscontinentalrailroad.Laterin1870,therewastheNaturalizationAct, whichstated“onlythoseofAfricandescent”wereeligiblefornaturalization.Thisact purposelyexcludedChinesepeople.Thisshowsthatthegovernmentbasicallysaid theChinesecouldcomeoverfreelytohelpbuildthetranscontinentalrailroads,but thenlaterpassedalawthatexcludedthemfrombecomingcitizens.
Anotherexampleofthiswasthe1875PageAct.ThisactstoppedChinesewomen fromenteringtheUS,sayingtheyfearedtheywouldpracticeprostitution.This causednegativeviewsofChinesewomenandofChinesepeoplealtogether.This alsocausedfamiliestobeseparatedandpreventedpeoplefromgettingmarried. ThisshowsdisrespectfromthegovernmenttotheChinesepeoplebecausethey broughttheChineseoverandthensaidtheirwomenwereprostitutes.Bydoingthis, theyalsopromotednegativeviews.Laterin1882,theChineseExclusionActwas passed.Itwasa10-yearbanonallChinesepeopleenteringtheUnitedStates.
Itbecamepermanentin1902.TheUnitedStatesdidnotapologizetotheChinese until2012.Inconclusion,it'simportanttolearnaboutthingslikethisbecausethis showshowthegovernmentdisrespectedanddiminishedawholeraceofpeople, allbecausetheycould.Andtheycoulddoitagainifwedon'teducateourselves andmakeitimportanttodiscuss.Theyshouldn'tjustgetawaywiththingslikethis becauseifweletthem,theywilldoitagain. -Journey
Ibecameaniceguybecausebeefisbelowme Iimprovedinmanywaysbutpeopledidn'tshowme Itrytobeaniceguybecausepeopletrytohurtme Myfriendsandfamilydiddrugsanditreallyburntme IpromisedIwon'tdodrugssomylifeisn'tover IknowI'msadeverydaybutI'lldealwithitsober Whymypeoplediefordoingwhattheytold AllthethingsIgothroughGodit'sreallyhardtohold Ifeellikepeopleknowmejustfordoingverywell DotheylikemeforwhoIamit'sveryhardtotell IfyouwentthroughwhatIdidorworstpleasestandup Whereallinthistogethernoneofusarebland Hopeyouhaveagreatdayhopeyouunderstand
ThereasonthatearlyJamestowncolonistsdiedwasbecausethere wasnofoodforthem.Butthatallchangedwhentheymetthenative Americans.Theyhadtoborrowcornfromthenativepeople.They hadcornforafewmonths.Onedaytheyweren'tgettingenough corn,thecoloniststook2nativeamericansandtooktheirheads. ThentheNativeAmericansstoppedgivingthecolonistsfood.Sothey starved.Thesituationwasbadbecauseinthesummerandspring therewasfoodbutnotinthewinterandfall.
-JadielRodriguezCrespo
ManystudentsjudgetheMelvinHKingSchool(MHK)basedonwhatthe schoollookslike,aprison.Theyalsofocusonhowstudentscannotcarry theirphones,buttheydon’ttalkaboutthegoodthingstheygettodohere. SomepeoplegetachancetojointheStudentCouncil,doMyInspirationto talkaboutthehardworktheirpeersandfamilydid.Somefriendlystudents dotheirbesttojokearoundtogettheirpeerstocheerup.ManyMHK studentsdon’trealizehowtheschoolcouldbenefitthem,theyroamthe halls,skipclass,becausetheydon’tthinkMHKwillhelptheminthefuture. SomepositivesaboutMHKarethesupportivestaff,therapy,and extracurricularactivities.
SinceMHKisasmallschool,studentsareabletoformcloserelationships withteacherswhoareveryknowledgeableandunderstanding.Theyteach youbasedontheindividualneedsofthestudents.Teachersreachoutto parentsandstudentstotalkabouthowthestudentisdoingintheirclasses. Theytakeintoaccounthowthestudentandparentarephysicallyand mentallyfeeling.Theytryto encouragestudentstobe successful.GuidanceAdvisors, teachersandparentstalkto eachotheronhowtogetthe studenttobemoreindependent. Theyhelpthemfindjobs,prepare themforinterviewsandhelp themwithcollegeorotheroptions afterhighschool.Iwishmore studentsunderstoodthevalue ofwhatMHKprovides.
Amajorbenefitisthetherapeuticsupportwhichconsistsoftherapists, guidanceadvisorsandteachersthattalktoeachstudentindividuallyabout theirmentalandphysicalhealth.Theytalkaboutearlychildhoodtrauma andunresolvedissues.Theyconnectstudentstofamilyorindividualtherapy. Theytalkaboutleadershipqualities,jobrequirements,howmanyfriendsthey made,whattheylikeaboutthem,what’stheirbestandworstqualitiesabout theirfriends.Theyareconcernedwithhowstudentsarefeelingabouttheir work.Theytalkwithstudentsaboutbullying,academics,independenceand lifeafterhighschool.Theytalkabouthowtheywouldmisstheirteachers, guidanceadvisorsandtherapistswhentheygraduatefromhighschool.
AnotherbenefitofMHKareextracurricularactivitiesconsistingofclubs thatarebasedonthelearningmaterialinclassessuchas:AnimeandArt club,Fitnessclub,andthe10BoysandGirlsInitiative.Inaddition,Student Councilmembersareelectedtorepresentthestudentbody.Theycome togetherweeklytotalkaboutwhattheynoticedintheirgroupsandclasses. Theydiscussfundingforstudentactivities,upcomingschooleventssuch asKing’sEar,SpiritDays,MyInspiration,Prom,Graduation,OpenHouses, andCulturalNight.
AlthoughtherearemanybenefitsandsupportsatMHK,manystudents donotusetheseservices.HowcouldMHKstaffhelpstudentsrealize everythingtheycouldgainatthisschool?Aformerstudentwholeft MelvinHKingSEAtogotoalargerschoolsaid,”Ididn’trealizehowgood Ihadithere.”Iwishmorestudent’srealzedthevaluethatMHKhas. -TerranceBrown
Onekindwordcanchangesomeone’sentireday.Wordshave energyandpowerwiththeabilitytohelp,toheal,tohinder,tohurt, toharm,tohumiliate,andtohumble.Someexamplesofwords’ influencescanbefoundinthewayfamousfiguresinspired generationsbyshowingthemhowpositiveaffirmationsand self-confidencecanleadyoutobethegreatest.
Conversely,wordshavethepowertoupliftandheal.Oneofmy biggestinspirationsandexamplesinlifewasMuhammadAli.Imagine beingrecognizedyourentirelifeasthegreatestboxerofalltime,and havingthepressureonyourshoulderstofacethemeanestand strongestrivalseveryfewmonthstokeepyourlegacyintact.Mr.Ali wasatthetopoftheworldasablackcitizeninacultural environmentlikeAmericaofthe60’s.Onecanonlyimaginethe championmentalityandself-confidencethatMr.Alihad.Alotof peoplesaythatyoubecomewhatyoutellyourself,inthatcase,in factMuhammadAliisthegreatest.Someofhisfamousquoteswere: “Ifmymindcanconceiveit,andmyheartcanbelieveit–thenIcanachieveit” and,“Iamthegreatest,IsaidthatevenbeforeIknewIwas.” Wordsnotonlyrepresentus,butthecultureinwhichwelive. Theycanhelpachildfindtheirpassionoritcoulddimtheirfire. Wemustbecarefulofthewordswechoose becausetheymatter.
