CHESAPEAKE, Va. — February is Black History Month, and students and staff with Chesapeake Public Schools are celebrating in a unique way.
Inside Western Branch Middle School, teachers like Shay Duncan are making sure learning starts the second students walk down the hall.
Duncan is a 7th grade English teacher. She helped to mark Black History Month by decorating her classroom door. It includes a collage of strong African American women. Her mom and sister inspired the background.
More than a dozen doors in the building are decorated. There and elsewhere there are tributes to prominent people in the black community.
The the decorations teach more than faces and facts.
"African-American History Month is not just history,” said Duncan. "When you have that unity, there's a certain amount of strength."
Student Anthony Miller helped create a display.
"I can be part of something and all of the students are walking by and looking at it,” said Miller.
Principal Kambar Khoshaba told 13News Now celebrating Black History Month in a creative way makes Western Branch Middle stand out.
"I think our students have a lot more tolerance in their generation,” said Khoshaba. "They have a lot of wonderful ideas, and I think if we give the voice to express their voice, I think we could all learn and grow together.”