6th graders at Sussex Academy read Martin Luther King speeches during assembly

GEORGETOWN, Del. – 6th-grade students at Sussex Academy, held a special assembly for students and parents. The annual assembly hopes to help celebrate Black History Month. At the assembly, students helped step into big shoes, by reading several historical MLK speeches.

John English, who teaches the kids presenting, said this is an integral time in their lives. He believes, this age is a great time, to inform history.

“Have classes focusing on the events, until they get to high school, so I think it’s important for 6th graders to be exposed to this, and be involved with this moving forward.”

The assembly included speeches from the ‘March on Washington’ and the ‘Montgomery Bus Boycott’. One 6th grader said she gets nervous about these speeches, but knows it’s for a good reason.

“Each time it happened, my heart pounded every time, and I stumble across my words, and I get nervous, but I know most of the 6th grade, so I’m not scared.”

English has helped facilitate these assemblies for years. He appreciates the understanding he gains with his students.

“By the time they get to 6th grade, they develop an understanding. They must see our past, in hopes of guiding us to our future.”

Sussex Academy students enjoy organizing the speeches. One student loves every second of constructing and practicing her speech.

“The more that I wrote, the more passion I got, and then the more I was inspired.”