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MLK Day Programming Emphasized Social Justice, Community Service

Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming at Mercersburg Academy challenged mindsets and encouraged thoughtfulness with themes focusing on social justice and community service.

“We wanted to create opportunities to reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. King in ways that are meaningful,” said Jamar Galbreath P ’27, assistant director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. “We were hoping to inspire folks to reflect about the ways in which they can have really positive, strong influences on circles close to them, in areas where they may have more control and leverage their strengths.”

Each year, one of Dr. King’s quotes is selected as a point of focus throughout the day. This year, the community voted for “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things great,” from King’s 1963 book Strength to Love.

Lawyer Jeffery Robinson, writer of the documentary Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America, presented the keynote address. Because of a winter storm, Robinson was unable to travel from Seattle. He connected with the student body through a virtual presentation in Simon Theatre.

Robinson, who has three decades of experience working on social justice issues, encouraged the audience to think critically about what they are told so their actions are based on truth.

“When you see people acting and doing right, that creates hope,” said Robinson, former American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) deputy legal director and the director of the ACLU Trone Center for Justice and Equality. “If you are looking for hope about our future, the first place you need to look–the most important place you need to look–is in the mirror. Hope does not create action. It’s the other way around. Action creates hope.”

Robinson’s documentary, which features lectures, personal anecdotes, and interviews to chronicle racism in the United States, was aired as part of a passport roaming activity. During this time, students could watch the documentary, attend a question-and-answer session with Robinson, contribute to a community mural, or participate in a watch party for the presidential inauguration.

For the afternoon programming, students chose one session from more than 20 topics that examined Black culture and civil rights themes in literature, history, theater, music, art, athletics, dance, and photography.

During one of the afternoon sessions, the varsity boys and girls basketball teams held a free clinic for area elementary school children who were off school for the MLK Day holiday.

The teams have held clinics for children, but this is the first one they’ve offered on MLK Day. Head Boys Basketball Coach Sean Crocker said the coaches wanted their players to experience the joy of giving back to the community. His hope was that the 38 children who came learned basic skills and experienced the high level of Mercersburg’s basketball program.

Poverty Simulation

In another afternoon session, students participated in a poverty simulation, which was designed to help them view poverty as a possible structural failure of society rather than an individual’s personal failure.

For the simulation, students assumed various roles of families facing real-life issues that can lead to poverty. Some experienced becoming newly unemployed, some dealt with a spouse who had just left, and others had recently become homeless. Participants were challenged with the task of providing basic necessities and maintaining shelter during the course of several 15-minute weeks. 

Nate Cumiskey ’28 said the simulation was “very stressful. There were so many things that I had to take care of when all I was trying to do was get a job and feed my family.”

All the curve balls of life made dealing with poverty even more challenging, said Seren Gibbs ’28 and Addyson Price ’28.

“It was a lot harder than I expected,” said Price, who forgot to pay her utility bills.

Gibbs also learned that she owed $100 but wasn’t sure where that bill originated: “I felt like there was so much going on at once that it was hard to sit down and organize things because of how fast life was going.”

The simulation was designed to give participants a glimpse into structural barriers, as well as some of the personal and emotional repercussions people in poverty face.

The closing ceremony began with students presenting a hip-hop dance performance choreographed by JaLena Findley. Findley taught a Black history hip-hop dance class during the afternoon sessions. She was also in town to choreograph a section of Six: Teen Edition, which will be staged by Mercersburg’s Stony Batter Players February 7 and 8.   

In his closing remarks, Head of School Quentin McDowell P ’25, ’27 challenged the students to remember three takeaways from the day: 

  • Truth matters. 
  • Privilege isn’t bad, but it should be accompanied by a sense of responsibility. 
  • Power matters. 

“Your power does not need to be diminished because someone else gains more of it,” McDowell said. “This is a great fear, that if you have power, it will come at the expense of mine. We all benefit from the collective success of everyone in our society.”

Pictured: Hana Vogtman '27 contributes to the community mural project during Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities.