Dater Montessori School creates Black History Month Hidden Figures Scavenger Hunt

A principal decided his school needed to elevate its Black History Month engagement. The result created an opportunity for the students and the general public to interact and learn about prominent Black figures.

A principal decided his school needed to elevate its Black History Month engagement. The result created an opportunity for the students and the general public to interact and learn about prominent Black figures.

STAGE EVER BUT IT IS A WEIRD FEELING. KELLY: WE ARE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND ALL ACROSS OUR AREA, STUDENTS ARE LEARNING ABOUT THOSE WHO PAVED THE WAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY. STEVEN: BUT AT ONE CPS SCHOOL, A PRINCIPAL DECIDED LEARNING NEEDED AN INTERACTIVE UPGRADE TO GO BEYOND THE TEXTBOOK. LOVE WHEN ADMINISTRATORS TAKE THE INITIATIVE. WLWT NEWS 5’S MEREDITH STUTZ IS LIVE OUTSIDE DATER MONTESSORI TO EXPLAIN HOW IT ALL WORKS. MEREDITH: GOOD MORNING. IT’S ONE THING TO LEARN ABOUT BLACK HISTORY MONTH DURING SOCIAL STUDIES OR FROM A MOVIE, BUT HERE AT DATER HIGH SCHOOL, THE PRINCIPAL AND ONE OF THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND CREATED A HIDDEN FIGURE SCAVENGER HUNT THAT’ S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW. STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND ANY PUBLIC COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACCESS THE SCAVENGER HUNT THROUGH A QUIZ THAT THEY CAN GET THROUGH A QR CODE INSTEAD -- INSIDE. 30 QUESTIONS ARE HIDDEN THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL TEACHING ABOUT 30 PROMINENT FIGURES IN BLACK HISTORY. THAT INCLUDES CORETTA SCOTT KING, DESMUND TUTU. AND WILLIAM D. DAVIS WHO INVENTED THE RIDING SADDLE. AFTER FINDING THE ANSWERS THE SCHOOL TRACKS EACH PERSON’S PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH. A COUPLE FIFTH GRADERS TOOK US ON A TOUR SHOWING US SOME OF THE QUESTION ON THE QUIZ. THE SCHOOL SAYS THE GOAL IS TO INSPIRE AND LEARN, BEYOND A NORMAL TEXTBOOK. >> WE WANT THEM TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THE CELEBRATIONS THAT WE’RE DOING. SO WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO IT IS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH. SO NOT ONLY ARE STUDENTS LEARNING ABOUT DIFFERENT FIGURES, THEY’RE ALSO TAKING A DEEP DOVE ON FIGURES IN AMERICA THAT WE DON’T REALLY TALK ABOUT. >> IT WAS INTERESTING. I GOT TO LEARN NEW PEOPLE WITH BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AND IT WAS EXCITING AND CHALLENGING AT THE SAME TIME. AND THEN AFTER I FINISHED IT, I WAS IT WAS LIKE I KNEW NEW PEOPLE. I GOT FACTS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE THAT I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT. MEREDITH: BOTH OF THE GIRLS FINISHED THAT QUIZ, ALL 30 QUESTIONS AND THE SCHOOL SAYS THEY PLAN TO EXPAND IT NEXT YEAR. IF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE SCAVENGER HUNT, YOU CAN DO IT BY CONTACTING THE SCHOOL AND SETTING UP A TIME FOR A STUDENT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH THE TOUR. REPORTING LIVE

Dater Montessori School creates Black History Month Hidden Figures Scavenger Hunt

When it comes to teaching about Black History Month, one Cincinnati public school decided it was time for an upgrade.Dater Montessori School principal Tony Greco knew he wanted to elevate his students' experience."We want them to see themselves in the celebrations that we're doing. So what better way to do it is for Black History Month," Greco said. "So not only are students learning about different figures, but they're also taking a deep dive on figures in America that we don't really talk about."Greco's new vehicle for inspiration and education is thanks to one of his assistant principals, Mark Gumm. He decided to create a Black History Month Hidden Figures Scavenger Hunt. The hunt is a quiz that comes in the form of 30 questions hidden throughout the school. Participants scan a QR code, matching the link above, and filled out each answer to learn about 30 different prominent figures, who are highlighted with facts and photos, including Coretta Scott King, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Elijah Muhammad, Desmund Tutu William D. Davis.Gumm says his goal is to inspire students to see themselves as part of history and to encourage everyone to see a different way to learn more about Black History Month. Gumm said his hope is the scavenger hunt would be a starting point."That they would expand their research and then actually get out into the community and see themselves and the work that they want to do, that they can be inspired to do the work and to do something better," Gumm said. "No matter your walk of life, with the right tools and just a little bit of love, you can be inspired to do amazing things, and then there's nothing that can't stop you."Watch the video above to see what a student thought of the scavenger hunt.Greco plans on expanding the scavenger hunt next year to include Women's History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, etc.If you would like to participate in the month-long scavenger hunt and are not a Dater student, contact the school to set up a time for a student-led tour.Those who correctly answer all 30 questions in the quiz can receive a candy prize, but Greco says the real prize is expanded education and celebration of culture.

CINCINNATI —

When it comes to teaching about Black History Month, one Cincinnati public school decided it was time for an upgrade.

Dater Montessori School principal Tony Greco knew he wanted to elevate his students' experience.

"We want them to see themselves in the celebrations that we're doing. So what better way to do it is for Black History Month," Greco said. "So not only are students learning about different figures, but they're also taking a deep dive on figures in America that we don't really talk about."

Greco's new vehicle for inspiration and education is thanks to one of his assistant principals, Mark Gumm. He decided to create a Black History Month Hidden Figures Scavenger Hunt. The hunt is a quiz that comes in the form of 30 questions hidden throughout the school. Participants scan a QR code, matching the link above, and filled out each answer to learn about 30 different prominent figures, who are highlighted with facts and photos, including Coretta Scott King, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Elijah Muhammad, Desmund Tutu William D. Davis.

Gumm says his goal is to inspire students to see themselves as part of history and to encourage everyone to see a different way to learn more about Black History Month.

Gumm said his hope is the scavenger hunt would be a starting point.

"That they would expand their research and then actually get out into the community and see themselves and the work that they want to do, that they can be inspired to do the work and to do something better," Gumm said. "No matter your walk of life, with the right tools and just a little bit of love, you can be inspired to do amazing things, and then there's nothing that can't stop you."

Watch the video above to see what a student thought of the scavenger hunt.

Greco plans on expanding the scavenger hunt next year to include Women's History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, etc.

If you would like to participate in the month-long scavenger hunt and are not a Dater student, contact the school to set up a time for a student-led tour.

Those who correctly answer all 30 questions in the quiz can receive a candy prize, but Greco says the real prize is expanded education and celebration of culture.

Dater Montessori School creates Black History Month Hidden Figures Scavenger Hunt

A principal decided his school needed to elevate its Black History Month engagement. The result created an opportunity for the students and the general public to interact and learn about prominent Black figures.

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