When most of us think about learning history in school, we picture a textbook or a screen. On a February morning at Spring Hill Elementary, students experienced history in a different way. They came face to face with remarkable leaders from U.S. and local history.
Phyllis Wheatley. Hazel Johnson Brown. Mary McLeod Bethune. Shirley Chisholm. Thurgood Marshall. Arthur Ashe. Dorothy Dandridge.
Each figure was portrayed by a volunteer from the Austin-East Class of 1972, standing ready for students to learn from and begin conversations.
Anne McGinnis portrayed Judith Jamison, acclaimed dancer, choreographer, and former artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
“We were taught to look out for one another and love one another,” Anne explains. Her class believes it is important to share the legacies of leaders who may not be found in our history books and pour into the next generation while encouraging them to do the same.
Students with their teachers in tow moved from figure to figure, reading and asking questions. They learned through conversation, not just observation, seeing history as stories shaped by real people.
Research at Carnegie Mellon University shows that students who participate in enrichment experiences build deeper subject knowledge and stronger learning connections that support long-term academic growth.
The Living Wax Museum was part of Spring Hill’s Black History Month programming and one example of how enrichment is woven into the Community Schools model. During February alone, Community School Coordinators planned 7 events across 7 schools. At Lonsdale Elementary, families gathered for student poetry and dance performances. In other schools, guest speakers and leadership conversations filled classrooms, with students serving as presenters, performers, and historians.
In the first half of the 2025–2026 school year, 1,614 students across 16 Community Schools participated in structured enrichment experiences. Coordinators align school staff, volunteers, parents, and community partners to ensure these opportunities support classroom instruction and strengthen family engagement.
Enrichment is central to the Community Schools strategy, shaping how students learn, engage, and grow.
If you are interested in opportunities to support Community Schools, visit: https://uwgk.org/schools/
