On Thursday, Feb. 29, the last day of Black History Month, Archie Williams held a lunchtime event recognizing Black History, Excellence, and Futures. Lunch was extended by 12 minutes to accommodate the celebration, shortening each class period by three minutes. Hosted in the Main Gym, the event featured a food truck, performances by school bands, and a Kahoot game.

The right side of the Main Gym featured two booths, one with Marin City cultural history trivia, and the other with fundraising for the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, an Archie Williams college and postsecondary opportunity preparation program. Archie Williams Dean of Student Success Alan Nealley hosted an African American History Kahoot with a projector in the middle of the gymnasium floor. 

Junior Manderly Díaz helped run the AVID fundraising stand and supported the educational and fun activities of the event.

“I think that having an [event] like this brings people in to see new things and be open-minded about different cultures and races,” Manderly said.

Students had many opportunities to purchase food, from the Korean-Mexican fusion food truck to the AVID fundraising stand. The stand sold baked goods, including croissants, cookies, cakes, and pizza, all proceeds going towards the program’s upcoming trip to tour Southern California schools.

“I’m a part of the AVID-11 organization, and we are fundraising for our SoCal trip. We’re going to tour a bunch of schools and get to know all about colleges,” said Archie Williams junior and AVID student Stella Smoot.

Along with the educational and fundraising stands, Archie Williams student bands brought lively music to the scene with their lunchtime performances. The Jazz Band played a couple of vibrant sets, with AW Performance Workshop band Reddy for Geddy playing in between. Manderly believed their performances brought in many more students to the lunchtime affair. 

“It’s my second time [helping with a fundraising event], and I think that [the band] actually does help a lot with fundraising money,” Manderly said. 

The Black History, Excellence, and Futures event proved to be a popular way to celebrate Black history and support student communities, cultivating an inclusive and uplifting environment for Archie Williams.