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Club co-presidents reshape Black History Month, inspire younger students

Club co-presidents reshape Black History Month, inspire younger students

by Shannon Dufresne
 

On the morning of Thursday, February 12, 2026, Ursuline set aside its regular class schedule and gathered as one community to celebrate Black History Month. This year, the program was conceived, designed, and led entirely by students, an intentional shift that honored the month through performance, perspective, and shared presence.

Members of the Black Essence Club, led by co-presidents Imani Harris '26 and Ilyasah Odindo '26, reimagined what the annual celebration could be. Rather than involving outside speakers, they envisioned a program that placed student expression at the forefront, built around poetry, music, and dance.

"We wanted to use the arts to celebrate the contributions of Black people around the world and give students the chance to engage in Black History Month through the voices of their peers," Odindo said.

"We wanted to use the arts to celebrate the contributions of Black people around the world and give students the chance to engage in Black History Month through the voices of their peers."
- Ilyasah Odindo '26

The idea grew from reflection. After considering past programming, Harris and Odindo recognized that students connect most deeply when they see one another take the stage.

"Students are more receptive when they see classmates perform," Harris said. "That pushed us to create a performance-based program for students, by students.”

With the support of faculty moderators and school leadership, the co-presidents were empowered to shape the vision and guide the process from concept to execution.

"Students are more receptive when they see classmates perform."
- Imani Harris '26

Planning began in October. Black Essence Club members met weekly to share ideas, rehearse, and refine the program. Harris and Odindo coordinated participation across grade levels and ensured that any student who wished to contribute had a meaningful role. What began as a conversation evolved into a cohesive, student-driven production shaped by collaboration and shared ownership.

Throughout the process, Black Essence Club co-moderators Mrs. Doretha Buster, Mrs. Jenne Griffith, and Ms. Jenifer Jules provided guidance and logistical support while intentionally allowing students to lead creatively. That balance, mentorship paired with authentic student ownership, reflects a broader culture at Ursuline, where leadership is cultivated by listening to students, trusting their insight, and giving them space to grow into their ideas.

Dance became both a centerpiece of the performance and a point of connection during rehearsals.

"Dancing was the most meaningful part of planning for me," Odindo said. "It allowed us to be creative and show an important part of Black History Month through our own movement.”

Their leadership extended beyond logistics. It created space for younger students to step forward.

Eighth grader Krystabell Chambers '30 was invited by Mrs. Griffith to take part in the presentation. She sang as part of a Gospel trio and performed in the African dance and hip-hop medley,  experiences that connected her directly to the vision set by the club's student leaders.

"Imani and Ilyasah are amazing," Krystabell said. "I look up to them so much. They are really good role models, and they inspire me so much!”

The program's impact did not end when the final performance concluded. Inspired by the presentation, Krystabell carried that energy into her own Black History Month project. For an assignment developed by middle school teachers Mrs. Alyssa Tenore '06 and Mr. Ryan Kagel, students researched an influential Black figure and created a visual presentation highlighting that individual's life and legacy.

Krystabell chose Oprah Winfrey.

After researching Winfrey's career and cultural influence, she created a poster board detailing Winfrey's journey and accomplishments. On Friday, February 27, during Flex 2, Krystabell and her classmates proudly presented their work to teachers and students in grades 6 and 7, a fitting way to close out Black History Month.

By entrusting Harris, Odindo, and their peers with meaningful responsibility, Ursuline demonstrated its commitment to developing confident young women who lead with purpose. Leadership here is practiced through initiative, collaboration, reflection, and action.

The celebration ultimately reflected more than a program on a calendar. It demonstrated what happens when a school community empowers students to shape their own experiences. Upperclasswomen lead with vision. Middle school students respond with curiosity and initiative. Faculty create structures that support growth. Together, those experiences form a continuum in which students are not passive participants, but active architects of their education.

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