Still Waters, Strong Tides: Harpeth Hall celebrates Black History Month

“Water teaches us so much,” sophomore Sienna Gordon said while addressing the school from the stage of the Frances Bond Davis Theatre. “It flows. It adapts. It shapes landscapes over time. And just like water, Black student life is powerful even when it looks calm on the surface.”

For 100 years, the United States has paused to honor Black history through designated days, weeks, and now each February – recognizing the contributions of Black Americans who have helped to shape the nation. At Harpeth Hall’s annual Black History Month assembly, students reflected on the theme “Currents of Becoming: Black Student Life Through Water’s Wisdom,” exploring sense of self and community through the symbolism of water.

“Still waters run deep,” said senior Bayona Fletcher. “Beneath every achievement, every milestone, every moment of excellence, there are currents of perseverance, creativity, leadership, and community.”

“Strong tides remind us of collective power,” continued sophomore Abrielle Davis.

Sienna, Bayona, and Abrielle, along with junior Zarai Armstrong, served as the student producers of the assembly, bringing to life a talk show–style program hosted by senior Khyah Shute, complete with commercials, entertainment breaks, and special guests.

Through this creative format, the assembly unfolded as a series of thoughtful conversations and performances that explored the experiences and voices at the center of Black student life at Harpeth Hall and beyond. 

Seventh grade student Micayla Brown performed a moving self-choreographed dance to “Rise Up” by Andra Day, 8th grade student Mmesoma Umeukeje shared her reflections on Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” poem, and members of Vanderbilt University’s Mu Rho chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Inc. shared their history through a step and stroll performance. 

At the heart of the program was an honest and heartfelt talk on stage between Khyah and Kindall Tyson, a mental health professional who works with teens and schools to support student well-being. 

As her classmates listened, Khyah reflected on her journey of growing up and becoming the young woman she is today, and she and Ms. Tyson discussed growth, challenge, identity, and creating spaces of connection. Khyah spoke candidly about struggling to find a sense of belonging and identity throughout her middle school years, which was an experience that ultimately led her to create her own community of support, one that has allowed her to thrive. Reflecting on that time, Khyah shared that in middle school, “friendships began to shift like currents, pulling me closer to some and pushing me away from others. …I spent these years navigating through the water, and it taught me that I was stronger than I thought.”

Ms. Tyson applauded Khyah’s ability to recognize growth through challenge, commenting that “the price of growth is discomfort, and it is one that often many people do not understand how difficult that can be. …Water is going to flow, no matter the situation it finds itself in, as you described you had to do. You had to make decisions, you had to identify what works for you and where your people are. …you found your voice in the midst of a difficult challenge. You’ve been able to, like water, flow forward to it.” 

As Khyah continued to share her story of the struggle to find her sense of self, Ms. Tyson put a challenge out to Khyah and the audience: Find joy in the midst of difficult situations. 

“It does take a little bit more work,” she said. “It takes community. It takes you identifying, ’What’s the purpose?’ What are you doing? What are you going to focus your attention on? The difficulties that you are having — you don’t negate those — however, the thing that you amplify, the thing that you focus on is, ’What is going to amplify your life?’ You could have joy.”

She encouraged students to consider how they can become sources of support for others in a way that allows them to amplify joy. In the midst of the currents, she asked, “How are you being a raft for others? How are you holding space for people and their different experiences? How are you opening up your lives to share with other people? …How do we create that raft that everyone has so they are able to flow?”

As Khyah found her footing as a leader in upper school, co-founding and co-chairing the annual SOLID student leadership conference and gaining recognition among her peers from Princeton University through her nomination for the Princeton Prize Award in Race Relations, she reflected on how resilience and support allowed her to create a space for herself, a life skill she hopes others will carry with them

“If there is anything that I hope you all can take away from this,” Khyah said, "it is to find your community, and if you can’t find it, create your own. Own your identity confidently and never be afraid to advocate for yourself. Your voice deserves to be heard. These are the lessons that shaped me, helped ground me, and prepared me for what’s to come.” 

As the tides rise and fall, the Black History Month assembly served as a reminder that with community and support, even the smallest currents can make waves. That sentiment speaks to a line in Harpeth Hall’s own value statement: “We build resilience, empowering our girls to be confident in their beliefs and abilities.”

As members of Harpeth Hall’s Black Student Association remarked during the assembly, “Water is everywhere. It shapes the earth. It finds its way through rocks. …Just like water, we adapt. We flow. We survive storms. …Water survives droughts. Water survives storms. And water always finds a way forward.”