ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Black History Month went out with a bang at Monterey Trail High School as the school hosted its Black History Extravaganza on Feb. 28.  

Monterey Trail High School Principal Lara Ricks said the annual event is hosted by the Black Student Union, an organization for African-American students. She said that this yearly event is often held on the last Friday of February.

Ricks said that she loved how the event had a community feel and was a way for people to learn about the community resources while celebrating.

“I love the fact that we have community partners and resources and that everybody can have the community feel to not only learn about the resources but also celebrate black excellence and community,” Ricks said. “Sometimes we end up dancing together, which is always fun.”

Zeaux Bayone, program educator for the Elk Grove Unified School District’s Educational Equity team and adviser for the district Black Student Union, said although the event was geared toward Black History Month, it was also “to pilot Black History Year” so that the union doesn’t just highlight black history in February, but year-round. 

Bayone said that the Black Student Union operates across the Elk Grove School Unified School District. According to Bayone, who said she started the first elementary school program, 46 Black Student Union programs in the district now are “running from K to 12.”

“We are trying to educate our students, staff and community on making these events year-long,” Bayone said. “We do more things like this at public schools. It encourages community and also provides times for us to be together to celebrate our excellence.”

The celebration was held inside the school’s cafeteria. Various tables for vendors were set up, along with the cafeteria tables having tablecloths with the red, green and yellow color schemes to coincide with the event’s motif. The event kicked off with the school’s Vocal Ensemble Group singing the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice.”

The event included a bingo game that involved mentioning black celebrities and black movies, as well as attendees socializing.

Black Student Union president and Monterey Trail senior Taj Louis said that he was a member of the club throughout all four years at the school. He said that Monterey Trail’s union is the only group in the district to hold the event and win five different awards. Some of the previously won awards were for “Best Club President” and “Best Club Vice President” and they were given by the Cosumnes Community Service District president.

Louis noted that the help-load for this year’s event had changed with the six members of the student council, along with the advisers, helping with the organization as opposed to the 20 people that helped in the previous year. 

“With that said, it was a lot on our shoulders as we do have a lot of things going on outside of school,” Louis said. “In spite of that, the turnout was good, even though we had a rocky start.”

Union vice president and Monterey Trail senior Lailani Lewis said that with her, and Louis, graduating this year, they are looking to other student council members to help pick up the baton.

“I think it’s a good way to end our high school years on,” Lewis said. “It allowed us to get together one more time as a club before we all go our separate ways.”