Dixie Classic Fair

Diggs-Latham was very excited to have 26 students exhibit art in the Dixie Classic Fair this year.  

We won 7 ribbons.  Congratulations to:  

1st Place Winners: Robert Morgan, Laike May and Mayar Eldeeb

2nd Place Winners: Malik Rose and Heidi Rodriguez

3rd Place Winners: Yarixel Reyes and Jeremiah Batista

 

 

Welcome to the 2013-2014 School Year

We are excited about a new school year of creating, performing, singing, dancing, and otherwise showcasing our skills and talents in the Arts.  

First of all, meet the Specialists' Team.

Top to Bottom and Left to Right: 

Leslie Batten, Media; Ross McNeil, PE; Jackie Pullen, Technology; Amanda Stevenson, Dance/Drama

Amanda Gordon, Art; John Powelson, Orchestra; Ann Farthing, Music

Community Outreach

Several 4th & 5th grade Art Honors Students recently had the privilege of designing and decorating cards for the SECU Family House.  These cards will decorate the rooms and welcome families as they stay in the SECU Family House.  This house is a friendly, supportive and affordable accomdation for families, caregivers, and patients traveling to Forsyth County for health reasons.  Our students were very excited to be a part of this project.

We created two different designs.

Spring Art Extravaganza

In March, 25 students exhibited original art in the Reynolds Place of the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts in downtown Winston-Salem.  Congratulations to the following students for having art in this show: 

Kindergarten: Dianee; First Grade: Anna Rosa, Alberto, Katherine; Second Grade: Robert, Christopher, Imani, Eric; Third Grade: Brian, Zion, Oscar, Laila; Fourth Grade: Daquan, Jose, Amparo, De'Shayla, Keishia, Niccolette; Fifth Grade: Mary, Jennifer, Avaloy, Hayleen, Adamaris, Amanda

This exhibit is a culminating exhibit that reflects the skills learned and projects completed in Mrs. Gordon's art class throughout the school year.

Bryan attended the event with his friends and family.

Anna Rosa and Anna Yeli were excited to see the exhibit with their mother.

This exhibit is juried the day before the opening event and gold seals are awarded.  Diggs-Latham students earned 4 gold seals.  Congratulations to the following students whose art work earned a gold seal:

Amparo

Niccolette

Anna Rosa 

 

Daquan

Zumba Tiger Style

 Diggs-Latham 4th and 5th graders recently broke the Guinness Book of World Records current record for the most students doing zumba at one time for a solid 30 minutes.  They joined with 3 other elementary schools downtown, along with classroom teachers, Mr. McNeil, the PE teacher, and Miss Stevenson, the Dance/Drama Teacher.  Honors art students and Mrs. Gordon, the art teacher, created a banner to represent our school, and all students, about 500, signed the paw prints as a promise to "Go Red" and take better care of their hearts in connection with the American Heart Association.

The Black History Celebration

On February 22, 2013, students, teachers, parents, members of the community, business partners, and visitors gathered in the gym for a time of celebrating diversity and the struggles that have been overcome in Black History.  The theme of the day was freedom, togetherness, and celebration of culture and differences.


All visitors were welcomed by many famous African Americans, Rosa Parks, Tiger Woods, Garrett Morgan, and others as Mrs. Washburn's 4th grade class dressed up and performed the wax museum part of the day.

Amanda Gordon, Black History Committee Chairperson, welcomed everyone just before introducing the Master of Ceremonies, 5th grade student, Jahleel Deberry.

Second grade teacher, Solomon Stover, reminded everyone of the significance of Black History Month just before Speech-Language Pathologist, Susan Ingram, sang the Negro National Anthem, "Life Every Voice and Sing."

Keynote Speaker, Linwaun Fulton brought a message of hardwork as he explained his journey through the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School system, college at Chapel Hill, and his current position at Wake Forest University.

Deacon McCloud recited a poem, "The Dream," in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and all he accomplished for Civil Rights.

Mr. and Mrs. Damon presented Negro Spirituals as steppers from Winston-Salem State celebrated their heritage as a transition into our student performances.

The Pep Squad, led by Ms Green, Ms Taylor and Mrs Lallave, danced "Pata Pata" just before the honors dance students performed "Our Circle of Life," an original choreographed piece by dance teacher Miss Amanda Stevenson.

The School Honors Chorus concluded our time of celebration and reflection by singing "The Road to Freedom" and "Free at Last" as Music Teacher, Ann Farthing, prepared the entire student body to sing "We Shall Overcome."

The Black History Committee planned the entire month of February as a time of learning, sharing, and expressing through hallway displays, special guests, visitors, and performances to remind students of the unfortunate circumstances of prejudice and injustice in the past.

Students left the assembly understanding that history is everyone's history, and we must learn from our mistakes in the past to try and not repeat them in the future.

For more photos of the Black History Celebration, visit this link: Black History Celebration Photo Gallery

Black History Specialist Presentations

For a week in February, Specialists gave talks, presentations, and demonstrations to show how Black History has affected and is related to Art, Music, Dance, Orchestra, Band, and PE.  Students met in the gym for these special events.

The week started with a focus on Visual Art.  I, (Amanda Gordon the art teacher,) talked about symbols form the Underground Railroad and the Harlem Renaissance.

On Tuesday of this week, Amanda Stevenson, the dance teacher, engaged students by coming onto the stage tap dancing and got students doing some chair dances.

Duane Smith, Music Student Teacher, talked about musical roots in African and African American traditions.  

Band teacher, Mr. Justin Sumners, introduced students to Jazz and a few other music genres.

Mr. Powelson, orchestra teacher, demonstrated violin and presented pieces by several famous Black Violinists.

PE Teacher, Mr. Ross McNeil, made connections to Black Americans in Sports and gave students the opportunity to practice their basketball tricks like the Harlem Globetrotters.

The Diggs-Latham "Read In"

February 1, 2013, marked the 53rd Anniversary of the Famous Greensboro Sit-In at the Woolworth Store.  On February 1, 1960, students from NC A&T went into Woolsworth's and sat down at the "whites only" lunch counter.  This Sit-In attracted the attention of many others in Greensboro and started a Sit-In Movement that spread here, into Winston-Salem, and even to other states.  Finally, the store owners gave in and served those members in the Sit-In, first serving the black employees of Woolworth.

To commemorate this important and historical event, the Black History Committee, under the leadership of Amanda Gordon, planned a "Read In" event.  Central Office personnel, visitors from the community, Friends of Diggs-Latham from the Anderson Alumni Group, members of Sovereign Grace Chapel, officers from the Winston-Salem Police Department and Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, and teachers, set up a station of artifacts and books in the gym and met with groups of students to share stories and read books reflecting Black History in America.  Many visitors dressed in Afrocentric clothing or wore colors representing traditional African Kente cloth or orange for unity.  Readers received small gifts from the school as well as a clay magnet, designed by our art teacher, as a token of appreciation.    

Mrs. Maeretha Hopson, a member of the Black History Committee, reads to a group of 1st graders.

Patsy Squire, Title 1 Director, was excited to share stories and books with students.

Mrs. Cynthia Crosby, retired from the office at North Forsyth and member of Sovereign Grace Chapel, connected with 4th graders.

Dr. Wayne Foster, Star3 Project Director, had students engaged with his iPad.

For more photos of the "Read In," visit this link: 

Read In Photo Gallery