Feb-Mar08counselor - Arkansas Department of Career Education ...

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HSRC Happenings
Black History Month presentation educates and informs
T
he Arkansas Department of
Workforce Education’s Division
of Rehabilitation Services’ Hot
Springs Rehabilitation Center
celebrated Black History Month on
February 26 with their annual Black
History Month Program. Cornelious
Hollinshed, HSRC Facilities
Supervisor, served as the Master of
Ceremonies and read inspirational
comments from HSRC Administrator
Barbara McBeth Lewis in her absence.
Opening and closing remarks were
provided by Frank Baptist, HSRC’s Ms. Cheryl L. Batts
Assistant Administrator.
HSRC staffer Rev. Donald Crossley
provided a Black History overview, showcasing the
impact of African Americans on the history of America.
Students Rhonda Young and Willie Griffin presented
poems, Antoinette Nelson and Dominique Phillips lead
the Pledge of Allegiance, and Deana Dimond and
Sherry Kidd served as ushers.
The keynote speaker was Cheryl L. Batts, founder
and CEO of People Helping Others Excel by Example
(PHOEBE). PHOEBE is a black history program
emphasizing and documenting African American
history in Hot Springs and Garland County.
The students and staff were empowered by Ms.
Batts motivational comments as she shared with them
that Black History is American History.
“Each of us has a heritage, and the heritage of
African Americans is a very unique one,” Batts
commented. “No other minority group was brought
to this country as slaves. Other groups came on their
own accord, but African peoples came in shackles.
African people were educators, queens, kings and
great warriors. They could write and speak in different
languages like French, Portuguese, and Swahili, but
their masters thought it was gibberish.”
Batts went on to say, “The only
thing that makes all of us different is
not our color, but our unique cultures.
Our culture is the way we speak,
dress, cook, how we think about
ourselves and how we look at life. Do
you know who you are? If you are
here today, considering the number of
some of your African ancestors who
died after they got on the boat to
America or in the fields, then you have
a destiny, you have a call. There is
something in this world that you have
to accomplish. Will you carry the torch
of real freedom for this and the next
generation?” she asked as she
concluded her presentation.
The HSRC’s Black History month committee
included Connie Briggs, Jeannette Brewer, Almeda
Barnett, Linda Crowell, Clymesa Applewhite, Billy
Robinson, Tommy Howard, Don Crossley, Cornelious
Hollinshed, Luther Peoples and Troy Gaines.
HSRC Personnel Administrative Assistant Jeannette
Brewer (center) with students Rhonda Young and
Sherry Kidd