Bloom Hamner

Greenies Go All Out on MLK Day


 

Greenies Go All Out on MLK Day

Holiday offers service, learning opportunities for Christ School students

Monday was much more than a day of remembrance as Christ School honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Father Kirk Brown read quotations from the legendary civil rights leader during a special morning service in St. Joseph's Chapel. He then dismissed the Greenies for a holiday filled with learning and service, both on campus and throughout the Asheville community.

More than 100 students, the largest such group in Christ School history, were part of an MLK Day march through downtown Asheville. Others traveled to the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture in Charlotte. Service was on the minds of Greenies who visited local middle schools, as well as Asheville's Habitat for Humanity and Veterans Restoration Quarters.

"We've usually taken between 30 and 40 boys to the march in the past, so this was definitely a great experience," said Travis Harris, Coordinator of Student Life Outreach. "The boys really enjoyed it and all of them cheered when it was Christ School's time for the roll call by Oralene Simmons (founder of the Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County). Everyone was very happy."

Here at Christ School, the films "42" and "Selma" were screened in Pingree Auditorium. Eighth graders created three pieces of stained glass art after viewing films about modern-day civil rights "saints."

To cap things off, Kobi Selby '19 was selected to represent Asheville-area youth at a Monday night candlelight service, also held downtown. Kobi gave a spoken word performance of two self-written pieces entitled "For the Fam" and "In a Beautiful Way," backed up by Patrick Shea '20 on drums.

"I truly feel blessed to do this," Kobi said. "For me personally, I get a chance to stay true to myself and see if I can brighten someone else's day. Maybe it can provide hope. It's encouraging to see my peers doing so much on this day."

 

T-shirts to commemorate MLK Day were specially-made for Christ School with Dr. King's initials on the front in green. On the back was the Greenies' logo, and underneath it this MLK quote: "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend."