A record number of school districts joined the Burnaby Schools province-wide Black Excellence Day event, which honours the rich history, achievements and joy of Black communities.
Hosted by the Burnaby School District and co-planned with the BC Black Educational Leaders Association, more than 20,000 students from 28 school districts viewed the video event - the largest number of districts since the event began in 2022.
A live audience also participated at Byrne Creek Community School on January 15. Student voices, including as speakers, were at the centre of the celebration for children and youth from Grades 4 to 12.
Fatma Said, a Grade 11 student who is part of the Black Excellence Club at Cariboo Hill Secondary, shared with the province what Black excellence means to her.
When people hear the term Black excellence, they start to immediately assume that it means being on the top, like with perfect grades or having several awards I think that it's way more significant than that. It's about recognizing those Black students who really contribute to the community and not just when we're excelling."
The fifth annual Black Excellence Day event offered an opportunity to learn about Black history and lived experiences. Fatma and fellow Grade 11 student Jenny Biar created a segment for the audience to learn about Black innovators, with technical work on the video done by students in Cariboo Hill's Black Excellence Club.
Burnaby Board of Education Chair Kristin Schnider also spoke as part of the event.
"The voices of Black Canadian students, staff, families and community leaders continue to show us what it means to create spaces of belonging, possibility, and joy."
Artists, athletes, educators and other leaders who are accomplished in their fields were featured, such as: writer and film maker Anthony Brown; actor and performing artist Sam Darkoh; journalist Michael Newman; poet and spoken word artist Jillian Christmas; and R&B and gospel artists Janelle Reid and Khari Wendell McClelland.
Across the province, many classrooms and clubs watched the broadcast, sparking conversation, reflection and learning about Black excellence.
Click here to read about more opportunities in Burnaby Schools to celebrate culture, strengthen and support diversity.
