McKinney North High School students show off music, dance, and poetry skills

by Beth Bentley of of North Dallas Gazette

What an affair to remember! Black ties and Chiffon dresses ... and it wasn’t even prom night!

During the third annual Black History Month program, the students and faculty of McKinney North High School presented an outstanding program that was aptly described by program organizer Gretchen Hawksworth as “a class act!”

The crowd of some three hundred spectators had no idea of the treat that would be received on that night. The McKinney Performing Arts Center, Richardson’s Eisemann Center, Carnegie Hall? It was the stage of McKinney North High School’s auditorium transformed into a platform fit for a repertoire theater. Organizer Ronnie Sterling beamed with delight as he shared his desire to “move the program up another level and to let people know that our history is beyond playing sports.”

Serving as hosts, Amber Davis, Khalid Guerra and Calvin McGowen seemed to take a page from the Big Band era. With strong voices, coy humor and touches of diverse distinction, this vibrant trio took control of the stage. Music, dance and poetry – this triplicate hit with an unexpected punch! As the presenters graced the stage donned in tuxedos and chiffon attire, the sultry sounds captivated the audience into suspenseful amazement. Delivered as an a cappella rendition of ‘Shed a Little Light’ by James Taylor, this sextuplet choir certainly shed a little light on the hidden talent in McKinney Independent School District as a whole.

Among the deliveries of James Weldon Johnson’s Lift Every Voice and Sing and Moses Hogan’s Hear My Prayer, it was difficult to believe that one could witness such talent free of charge!

As the night went on, the expressive dance moves of the McKinney NorthStars Dancers added a flavor of hope as they danced to ‘Go Light Your World’. This spark introduced the audience to the Big Band sounds of Thelonius Monk and varied musical genres that reverberated in sounds of brass, bass and percussions. Simply stated, it was well done.

Deliver. Deliver. Deliver. Poetic rhymes flowed from the lips of the students with dignity and strength as they introduced poetry from poets Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Arna Bontemps and even up-and-coming students and poets Shawna McNary with their poems ‘Am I Racist’ and Mason Grimes with ‘People in Focus’ (accompanied by his father Rev. Gene Grimes). When these students spoke, the audience listened.

To top off the evening, Dr. Bonita Jones shared her personal and touching story of meeting challenges head on, even from her youth. Dr. Jones met what could have been a roadblock and ‘used obstacles as stepping stones’. On the outside, this gorgeous woman, who is also African American, appeared to speak, move and respond as anyone would under normal conditions. As she shared, the audience went silent when Dr. Jones shared the fact that she is deaf and has been since birth. What an amazing testimony of tenacity and steadfast dedication for the students of McKinney North High School to experience!

Student singer Brian Alexander grinned from ear to ear as he recalled his participation in the night’s event as ‘a night to remember’. Joining in the success of the evening, Lee Edwards II, sophomore student at Dallas Baptist University, said, “The evening was tasteful and full of class.”

MNHS Principal Jimmy Spann summed up the evening by saying, “The students exceeded my expectations. It was a quality performance. I am very pleased with everything that went on tonight.”

The unspoken words that resounded so greatly came in the form of a drawing of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., rendered on stage by David Andrews. How appropriate was this portrait as the night was truly a dream come true!