1st Annual MVHS Living History Day: A Success

The dream of Dr. Denise Fleming came to reality on Thursday at the 1st annual event located at Moreno Valley High School. This was an event that would create a "real" link between the students and highly respected members of the community. She believed that if she could simply get people together in a face-to-face small and intimate setting that a more enriched experience would take place on behalf of everyone involved. The event, titled "Living History Day", linked students to mentors in a way that interactively connected students with mentors. As part of Black History Month, the primary two groups that were present to provide presentations and mentorship were the Tuskegee Airmen and the Buffalo Soldiers. These two military groups fought not only for freedom, but for the civil rights of all. In addition to these two groups, several individuals volunteered their time and effort to ensure the success of this event. Mentors from all walks of life, from education to politics to law enforcement and many more, were on hand to invest in the students. There were even some in attendance who felt overwhelmed emotionally at the gratitude and sacrifice the mentors demonstrated in their life choices. Event organizer and Moreno Valley School Board Vice President, Dr. Denise Fleming shared, "One of the school district's employees became emotional and thanked the Tuskegee Airmen for their service." After a brief morning meet and greet in Moreno Valley High School's Viking Hall, the group of attending living historians who continue to serve our society today met with the Junior high school class in the school's gymnasium. In a special session, each mentor met with a small group of students in a question and answer setting. For many of these students, this event provided a means to put a "face" to the history they are mandated to study in school. This is an effective way to make the sometimes cold, hard facts of memorizing times and dates a more relevant experience. By relating events they have read and studied to a living breathing person. Flemming shared, "The students attentively listened as the leaders shared their personal history. The students asked questions and were encouraged to believe in themselves and know that in spite of any circumstances they could empower themselves and become whatever they wanted to be." The presentations started out with the recognition and honor of country and state, followed by a brief introduction of several of the mentors that were invited to share. The presentation which was intended to merely be a forerunner of the event turned out to be so much more. The testimony of Airman Buford A. Johnson of the original "Red Tails", partnered with a very informative PowerPoint presentation given by Robert Lee Porter, left the audience inspired. So inspiring is the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and the movie "Red Tails", honoring them and their journey in a 2012 Hollywood movie starring Cuba Gooding Jr., of which a short clip was shown. "Many students asked to have another event such as this in the future," shared Fleming, who continued, "the goal of the event was to engage the students through collaborative learning techniques. Students of all races were empowered with knowledge from actual history makers. The emphasis that difficult situations do not dictate their future but believe in yourself, have faith in your abilities and always do your best empowered and motivated the students. They were excited about learning history. It was an awesome day." There were several other presenters and mentors that devoted their time and effort to the success of this event; and of course the true winners of the event - the students.