Black History Month is a time to celebrate the rich literary and cultural contributions of Black writers, poets, and scholars—many of whom have shaped the study of English and literature. For members of NEHS, this month presents an opportunity to engage with and uplift the voices of Black authors through reading, discussion, advocacy, and community service. NEHS chapters can honor Black literary excellence by hosting book clubs, organizing read-aloud events, exploring the historical impact of Black storytelling, or channeling the influence of Black leaders in their service projects. By fostering a deeper appreciation for these voices, NEHS members do not only celebrate Black history but also uphold the society’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and the transformative power of literature.
Read on to find out about the Martin Luther King Day-inspired community service going on at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy in Atlanta, GA, and the African American Read-In event taking place at Bear Creek High School in Lakewood, CO.
MLK Day-Inspired Service Project at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, GA
The Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy’s NEHS chapter, led by their passionate Advisors Rhoshawnda Baker and Corendis Hardy, participated in an extraordinary day of service in honor of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. With energy, dedication, and a spirit of giving, these incredible young leaders, known as the English Eagles, embodied the NEHS motto, “Gelast Sceal Mid Are” (Duty Goes with Honor), as they reminded us of the profound impact of serving others—a principle deeply rooted in Dr. King’s enduring legacy.
Dr. King’s unwavering belief that service to others is a cornerstone of a meaningful life continues to inspire. He taught that compassion and love should guide our actions and that all work uplifting humanity is vital. Taking his words to heart, the English Eagles rose to the occasion, channeling their efforts into an impactful service project that has made a tangible difference in their community.
In a stunning display of generosity and teamwork, the English Eagles collected and donated over 20 boxes filled with blankets, sweaters, and personal hygiene products to local homeless shelters. Their thoughtful contributions ensure that many individuals in need will stay warm and cared for during these harsh winter months. This remarkable effort marked their very first service project as a newly formed NEHS chapter, and they exceeded every expectation, turning Martin Luther King’s legacy into a true day of action, reflection, and community building.
As the nation moves forward under new leadership, Atlanta and its residents continue to honor Dr. King’s vision for unity and service by coming together to celebrate his legacy. The English Eagles at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy have set an inspiring example for others to follow, proving that even a small group of dedicated individuals can spark meaningful change. Bravo to these young leaders for making their mark and carrying Dr. King’s legacy forward with such passion and purpose!
The African American Read-In at Bear Creek High School, CO
The stars aligned for us to plan our first African American Read-In at Bear Creek High School in 2023 as a new scheduling model at our school overlapped with our post-Covid reboot of our National English Honor Society chapter (the BCHS Literati) and the subsequent election of a passionate and proactive BCHS Literati student leadership team excited to organize a school-wide literary-themed event.
Inspired by information about the African American Read-In in NEHS’ Museletter blog, we got to work leveraging our library’s selection of works by Black writers. Fortunately for us, our librarian keeps our shelves stocked with new releases and popular YA selections from a diverse collection of authors, so pulling together a book tasting activity happened quickly, thereby allowing us extra time and energy to add student-creations as well. With an hour-long time-slot (during our weekly academic and enrichment intervention time) and a large library space at our disposal, we decided to set up stations students could visit during the Read-In: book tasting and poetry readings by our AP Literature students paired with a mini-lecture about beat poet Bob Kaufman by BCHS Literati Advisor Ryan Karpovage and a gallery walk of student work about Black artists collaboratively constructed by our AP Language students.
The book tasting now functions as our mainstay activity for every year’s Read-In. We then feature new authors and new student-creations for the other two stations. The stations allow for movement and social interaction as students, for example, pass back and forth texts by the likes of Nic Stone, Jason Reynolds, Ashley Woodfolk, Angie Thomas, Nicola Yoon, and Kwame Alexander. This shared experience—a community of learners invested in nurturing intellectual curiosity, celebrating Black excellence, elevating diverse voices in a culturally responsive manner, and finding both literary “windows” and “mirrors”—is at the heart of all our African American Read-In events.
The BCHS Literati will host its third African American Read-In event on Thursday, February 20, 2025. This year our Read-In will include our annual book tasting as well as a bulletin board learning tour that will weave throughout our school building’s academic wings. In the evening, we’ll also host a movie night. We will invite all BCHS students (grades 9-12) to attend by advertising on social media, through our school’s weekly news broadcast, and with posters hung around our building. Each year we strive to involve more students from our high school as both event attendees as well as event creators. We’re hoping to beat our current record of 142 participants this year!
Rhoshawnda Baker is a 9th grade ELA teacher at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy in Atlanta, GA. With a passion for fostering a love of literacy, Ms. Baker has over 20 years of experience teaching Literature, Journalism, and Theater Arts. She is the Lead Advisor for the NEHS chapter at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy as well as the high school‘s Debate Coach. She is passionate about engaging students on all levels, enhancing their social experiences by encouraging them to use writing as a powerful tool to evoke change and inspire empathy. Ms. Baker has taught all grade levels and strives daily to create an engaging classroom where students feel supported and empowered to reach their full potential.
Shala Fjetland has been an English teacher at Bear Creek High School in Lakewood, CO, since 2004. Previously she taught for four years at Indianola High School in Indianola, IA—home of her alma mater Simpson College (BA in English). She earned her master’s degree in teaching from The Colorado College in 2010. During her career she has taught Ninth Grade English, Composition, Advanced Composition, Creative Writing, AP Literature and Composition, and AP Language and Composition. She has also served as a National English Honor Society Advisor for the BCHS Literati since 2022. Shala lives in Littleton, CO, with her husband, her two children, and her cat.
National English Honor Society
The National English Honor Society (NEHS), founded and sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, is the only international organization exclusively for secondary students and faculty who, in the field of English, merit special note for past and current accomplishments. Individual secondary schools are invited to petition for a local chapter, through which individuals may be inducted into Society membership. Immediate benefits of affiliation include academic recognition, scholarship and award eligibility, and opportunities for networking with others who share enthusiasm for, and accomplishment in, the language arts.
America’s first honor society was founded in 1776, but high school students didn’t have access to such organizations for another 150 years. Since then, high school honor societies have been developed in leadership, drama, journalism, French, Spanish, mathematics, the sciences, and in various other fields, but not in English. In 2005, National English Honor Society launched and has been growing steadily since, becoming one of the largest academic societies for secondary schools.
As Joyce Carol Oates writes, “This is the time for which we have been waiting.” Or perhaps it was Shakespeare: “Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer . . .” we celebrate English studies through NEHS.
National English Honor Society accepts submissions to our blog, NEHS Museletter, from all membership categories (students, Advisors, and alumni). If you are interested in submitting a blog, please read the Suggested Guidelines on our website. Email any questions and all submissions to: submit@nehsmuseletter.us.
