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Education

San Diego Students Re-Enact The March On Washington

By Megan Burks / Education Reporter
Contributors: Nicholas McVicker / News Editor
Published February 29, 2016 at 1:51 PM PST
This story was published more than 8 years ago.
Oscar Martinez, 18, holds a sign that reads, "We march for effective civil rights now," at a Gompers Preparatory Academy reenactment of the March on Washington, Feb. 29, 2016.
Megan Burks
Oscar Martinez, 18, holds a sign that reads, "We march for effective civil rights now," at a Gompers Preparatory Academy reenactment of the March on Washington, Feb. 29, 2016.
San Diego Students Reenact The March On Washington
San Diego Students Re-Enact The March On Washington
More than 100 students marched outside of Gompers Preparatory Academy for a lesson on the Civil Rights Era.

The senior class at Gompers Preparatory Academy in San Diego memorized Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech during Black History Month.

They took turns reciting it Monday at a re-enactment of the March on Washington.

Nyabel Thot, 18, was one of the students at the microphone. She said the message still resonates today.

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"There's still things that we can change in life. There's still things that are incomplete in a way," she said. "That's what I want everyone to take away from this."

Students held replicas of the signs marchers carried in 1963. They read, "Stop police brutality," and "Decent pay now."

More than 100 seniors participated, many wearing 1960s fashions. Underclassmen were also encouraged to observe and learn from the demonstration.

Teachers called the event a "living museum" and said they hope to replicate the approach for other lessons.

Education
Megan Burks
Megan Burks is the education reporter at KPBS. She reports on teaching and learning from infancy into adulthood, the achievement gap, and school governance. Before tackling the education beat, Megan helped launch Speak City Heights, a media collaborative covering community health in the City Heights neighborhood of San Diego. As Speak City Heights reporter for KPBS and Voice of San Diego, Megan's work pushed reform in the San Diego Police Department and taxi industry. She was awarded the San Diego County Taxpayers Association's 2015 Media Watchdog Award for her look at dangerous housing conditions for low-income tenants. Megan has also been recognized by the San Diego Human Relations Commission and Society of Professional Journalists San Diego Pro Chapter for bringing underrepresented voices to radio and television. Megan was born and raised in El Cajon, and graduated from San Diego State University, where she studied journalism and sociology. Her thesis looked at the media’s effects on attitudes toward immigrants. She interned with San Diego CityBeat and KPBS’ Envision San Diego.
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