Question for you, who served as the very first African-American principal in Nevada?

Do you know the answer?

What's the answer?

HP Fitzgerald Now, Mr. Fitzgerald, by the way, the namesake of one of our CS elementary schools, important history lessons like that one is why the African-American History challenge exists.

And I got the question, by the way, from last year's challenge.

And joining us now in studio, Evette Williams with the Clark County Black Caucus and Students B Robinson from last year's winner, and Kaitlyn Logan from Mojave High School.

And both so happy to say we are taking part in this year's challenge.

Thank you all for being here.

And I have to say, I've had so much fun going back in there on our Vegas PBS, YouTube page, watching the last three challenges.

Let's talk about event, why this challenge is so important and the history, because it has its own history.

It's been around since the nineties.

Well, African-American history is American history, and it has been the foundation of our of our history here in the United States of America.

And it's important to recognize all cultures who have made that contribution to make America the country that it is today.

And so we're really not really us.

It's really the students that are driving that message, because it was the students who really, really pushed how much they want multicultural education in their school system and see themselves reflected.

And so it was our group of students, this group of students and the BSU network that actually helped to advocate for multicultural academic standards in the state of Nevada.

And I believe, if I'm not mistaken, we're the only state in the union who has multicultural academic standards as part of their their revised statute or the law.

And so we're very proud of Nevada for that.

We're very proud of Clark County School District for working with and partnering with us in this and understanding the importance of it.

And so the African-American history challenge actually started previous back in the nineties where Dr. Linda Doogan led that charge.

And there was a challenge, and it lasted for a few years, but then it kind of went by the wayside.

And so with the Clark County Black Caucus, we spoke to the issue network in partnership with 60 and out of that, we all we had for some time wanted to have a challenge because of the students expressing, wanting to have more history.

We thought what a fun way to do that.

And then Linda became a member of the caucus.

We got to talk it and she mentioned the challenge.

And I said, you know, we've been wanting to do a challenge for a long time but didn't have the resources and the knowledge to really do a good job.

And Linda stepped up and said, I'll do it.

And so she's the director of the African-American History Challenge and has done a fabulous job over the years in bringing it back.

And I think we're in our sixth year.

I think this is going to be our sixth or seventh year we had COVID.

And so, of course, you know, we didn't get to do it that year.

And so that's the history there.

And the kids have a lot of fun with it.

They take it very they're very competitive.

They take it very seriously.

And I do want to ask both of you, I love what your shirt say.

Go ahead and tell me what your says.

so my shirt says power, pride and excellence.

And at the bottom it says Black Student Union U.S.

Shirt is a John Lewis quote.

And tell us what that quote is.

And it says, Blacks, if not us, then who?

If not now, then when?

And these are the important history lessons.

These and what I love about this challenge and I want to hear from both of you.

What are you taking away from this challenge and what do you hope that people watching this take away from this challenge?

So I'm for sure taking away a lot of important life skills like communication and holding each other accountable because we're working with the team for this challenge.

And I also hope I take away a trophy like I did last year, and I really hope the viewers take away, like Yvette said, that black history is American history, that we are successful, we are doctors, we are chefs, we are artists, and we're not going away anytime soon.

And what about you?

Caitlin and I like to take away about us educate each other is important as a black community, as we educate each other and learn about our facts.

Because sometimes the most of the facts I really didn't know about until I did that history challenge.

So it's important to educate each one of us and we talk about sometimes they aren't in our history books.

Like I said, I was fascinated just and you have in inventors, you have everything from entertainment athletes, like you said, but so much history from Nevada as well.

And let's talk a little bit.

How have you been preparing for this challenge?

So my classmates and I meet with our BSU advisor once or twice a week and we practice like it will be in real life with the buzzers and all and then we also meet virtually every now and then.

And I've created some study guides online that my classmates and I share and we use to study.

And how about you?

And we use quiz lids and we just quiz each other.

And also we use cahoots.

whoops.

I'm going to have to learn about cooking for me after this.

Thank you all for being here.

I'm so proud.

I have a big smile on my face.

Thank you for what you're doing.

And like I said, I got definitely important history lesson.

So the African American history challenge, by the way, So Proud to Say, airs February 26 at 7:30 p.m. right here on Vegas PBS and a go go check it out on our Vegas PBS YouTube.

Congratulations.

Thanks for being here and good luck.

You.