Last week, eight Dallas ISD campuses were each gifted their own “Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility (E.D.I.A.) Story Walk: A Pathway to Discovery” funded by the American Library Association. The Story Walks provide students and families the opportunity to learn about the national Juneteenth holiday, which recognizes the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in 1865. This is a hands-on outdoor learning experience for students where they are free to walk, talk and discover facts together.
During the Story Walk kickoff at Pacific Park Plaza in downtown Dallas, Mayor Eric Johnson and Fort Worth native Ms. Opal Lee – known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth” – encouraged students to learn about the past to create a better future.
Ms. Lee read from her book, “Juneteenth: A Children’s Story,” and spoke about her experience at the White House with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris last year when Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday known as Juneteenth National Independence Day. The event was attended by Downtown Montessori at Ida B. Wells Principal Tabatha Preston, her staff, community members, and Dallas ISD representatives.
The idea behind the Story Walk pathways is to lead students to a place of discovery and encourage them to read for fun with their classmates or families and engage socially by creating art projects, writing about diversity, or presenting during school events. Storyboards will remain up until December 2022. During the school day, students will use them with their teachers and staff and after school they can visit and enjoy the Story Walk with their families.
E.D.I.A. Story Walks are located at these campus locations:
- William Anderson Elementary School
- Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School
- Rufus C. Burleson Elementary School
- David G. Burnet Elementary School
- Leonides Gonzalez Cigarroa MD Elementary School
- Gilbert Cuellar Sr. Elementary School
- N.W. Harllee Early Childhood Center
- Julian T. Saldivar Elementary School
Community Story Walk locations:
- Highland Hills, Dallas Public Library
- Pacific Plaza Park, Downtown Dallas, Inc.
Feel free to go to the school library and visit the ALA Story Walk to learn more about Juneteenth and other topics.
