To kick off February, Hidden Valley High School held a Black History Month door decoration competition with a pizza party prize. Many teachers and their students embraced an artistic side as they chose historical black icons to represent on the doors of their classrooms. Classes took a pause to work on the doors and learn about stories they might not usually learn in class. Mrs. Newbern, a history and psychology teacher, speaks about her class’s Martin Luther King Jr. themed door saying, “My students wanted to participate, so if they want to do something I am all in.” Students also enjoyed pitching in, taking an opportunity to do something a bit different in class. Jack Barbour (11) said “I wanted to help out because I wanted to learn more about who we were creating on our door while having fun and working with my hands.”

With so many classes showcasing their designs, what are some factors that should be considered to pick a winner? Jack Barbour thinks “I think what makes a good door is not exactly the quality, but the amount of effort that was given in making it and wanting to share about an important figure.”

This isn’t just about designs on doors, though. By highlighting stories throughout the school on doors that we see here every day, we can bring the stories to life and share lesser-known ones. Newbern says “I think the important thing is to look to see who the students think are their favorite heroes from black history month because it all depends on who you believe in and who your heroes are that then are going to influence your life.”