8th grader Mariah as Vice President Kamala Harris |
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7th Black History Wax Museum
Our Best Yet!
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Students portrayed famous Black leaders from the worlds of science, sports, civil rights, entertainment, and law at our 7th Annual Wax Museum. The teachers who run the event — Keriann DeLine, Allie Sinatra, and Leah Young — say this year’s may have been the best one yet. Students are already talking about who they want to be next year!
Over a month’s time, each participating student delved into one leader’s life and prepared a presentation that included a speech, a costume, and a PowerPoint or poster. On the day of the Wax Museum, the entire school community, including parents and guardians, traveled from classroom to classroom to encounter the famous leaders. A simple touch would bring any “wax figure” to life.
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4th grader Honor as his ancestor Frederick Douglass |
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4th grader London as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson |
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5th grader Stephfon as Jamaican musician Bob Marley |
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In addition to telling those gathered about their lives and accomplishments, some of the leaders shared inspiring words of wisdom:
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Inventor Granville T. Woods (aka 8th grader Tristan), known as the Black Edison, instructed, “Never give up your ideas. Your ideas are what make you, you!”
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Gymnast Simone Biles (aka 5th grader Jaelle), winner of seven Olympic medals, emphasized, “Hard days are the best days because that’s when champions are made.”
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Vice President Kamala Harris (aka 8th grader Mariah) advised, “No matter how much people judge you, follow your dreams, because you’ll be history too!”
Leaders who spoke about the courage it took to bring about change in an unjust world included Josephine Groves Holloway, founder of the first Girl Scout Troop for Black girls; Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to attend an all-white Mississippi school; and Frederick Douglass, the19th century civil rights leader, abolitionist, orator, and statesman. Douglass was brought to life by 4th grader Honor, who is a direct descendant.
The event culminated in our community room, where awards were presented for Best Speech, Best PowerPoint, Best Poster, and Best Overall Presentation.
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Atiyah Harmon:
Passionate Educator and Leader
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Atiyah Harmon speaking with BGLM students |
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Atiyah Harmon, Founder of Black Girls Love Math (BGLM), started the program during the COVID pandemic. She shares, “I had time to reflect on education and was frustrated that girls weren’t visible.” Atiyah, who self-identifies as a math and data person, was dismayed that only 2% of workers in STEM fields are Black women.
One of her goals is to increase the number of girls who pursue science, technology, engineering, and math. One way she does that is to help them see role models — or SHE-ROs — in Black women like Sarah Bond, President of Xbox.
Since January 2023, BGLM has partnered with St. James School as an after-school enrichment for girls in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Aryanna, a 6th grader, had this to say about the impact: “Before coming to St. James, I wasn’t very good at math. I learned to like math in BGLM and it has helped me in class.”
This year, the program was also offered on Saturdays to all students who want extra math help.
Of the partnership, Atiyah says, “St. James is community-focused, super supportive of instructors, and aligned with BGLM values. It’s truly collaborative.”
St. James will honor Atiyah for her leadership at our Scholarship Benefit on Tuesday, May 21st at The Fillmore in Philadelphia. She will speak and so will some of the BGLM students. Atiyah shares, “I’m most excited to see the girls interacting with the entire community, to help move the St. James mission forward. This is close to my heart as an example of quality education.”
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Atiyah Harmon with 6th graders Kahliya, Aryanna, and Gabby |
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Atiyah models leadership for the girls in her program through authenticity. “I want girls to see and feel confidence, see and feel that they belong,” she says.
Atiyah is also a model for BGLM instructors like Darrien Johnson, who says she appreciates Atiyah’s passion for the work and is motivated by its social impact. Instructor Maya Williams states, “I align with Atiyah’s leadership and I’m moved by the motive to get more girls in STEM because I’m one of these girls. I majored in applied mathematics, but I didn’t experience having other Black women as peers.”
BGLM participant and 6th grader Jamillah praises Atiyah’s leadership on a personal level: “With her leadership, she starts with us. She makes sure we have everything we need.”
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Come, See, and Learn Event
at Our Historic Church
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We invite you to join us at The Church of St. James the Less on Saturday, May 4th, from 10 am to 12 pm, for a come, see, and learn event entitled, “Preserve & Prosper: A Legacy of Faith, A Future of Promise.”
This is an opportunity for an up-close look inside and outside the historic church that is at the heart of the St. James community. You will hear about the findings of our four-year conditions assessment and the unique challenges we face as we work to create a plan for the future of the church.
There is no fee, but pre-registration is required.
Modeled after St. Michael’s Church in Longstanton, Cambridgeshire, built c.1230, our church was built in 1846, added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1974, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985.
The National Park Service’s official 1985 Statement of Significance notes, “This is the first example of the pure English Parish church style in America, and one of the best examples of a 19th-century American Gothic church for its coherence and authenticity of design. Its influence on the major architects of the Gothic Revival in the United States was profound.”
Along with Head of School Dave Kasievich, presenters will be:
- Kate Cowing, AIA, APT-RP, Principal at Kate Cowing Architect, LLC
- Philip Scott, RA, Principal at Philip E. Scott Architect
- Shelby Rowe, Project Coordinator, Servant Year Philadelphia
To register for the event or ask a question, please contact Shelby:
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One Student’s Words of Wisdom |
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Holy Week at St. James is a time to celebrate our shared belonging, faith, and fellowship, and above all else, love. The photos show a few highlights from Palm Sunday (celebrated with our school community on Monday), Maundy Thursday (the Washing of Feet), and Easter Sunday, when we held an Easter Egg Hunt in the cemetery. It is a favorite tradition started by co-founder Dr. Audrey Evans in the early years of the school. Nasir, a 6th grader, shows off one of the eggs he found.
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Pi Day at St. James is a celebration of everyone's favorite irrational number, pi. On March 14th, the whole school was challenged to memorize and recite as many digits as they could. 8th grader Sklyar got up to 122! 4th graders showed off their Pi Club t-shirts (above left). Rahmair (above right) and his fellow 5th graders combined math and poetry by writing “pi-ku” — pi-themed haiku.
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Children's author Ada Ari (adult above left) led a workshop for 4th and 5th graders called "African Storytelling Reimagined." Students learned African dance moves, discovered their Ashanti names, and experienced traditional African clothing and instruments.
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Principal Dave McDonough was recognized with the Neubauer Fellowship for Educational Leadership’s "Shining Light Award," celebrating the partnerships he and St. James School have forged with families and the larger community.
Dave is pictured with fellow award winner KaTiedra Argro of John Barry Elementary School.
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Line dancing, a new Adult Education workshop offered by The Welcome Table, is a hit with our neighbors and families.
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Black Professionals' Career Week enlightened our students about a variety of career paths. Presenters included Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse Midwife Francesca Kotey (above left), non-profit advancement professional Sydnee Reddy (Class of 2015, above right), as well as a sound engineer, a nurse, educators, business owners, and more.
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PICTURE YOUR IMPACT:
Turn Your PA Taxes into Scholarships
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Why We Give Through the Tax Credit Program |
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"There are a lot of challenges in the world, and if we sat in a room, we could all fight over the possible solutions. The one thing we'll all agree on is, education is the best solution to any current and future challenges. There has to be an ability for clear-eyed reasoning to understand history, and how we got here today, and to understand the challenges that face us going forward so that we can choose the best path for the future. Education is the foundation that's going to allow us to do that. I encourage you to learn about the tax credit program and support a school like St. James that is doing great things to build that educational foundation."
— Joe and Kathy Royal, St. James Supporters
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St. James is a faith-based educational community deeply rooted in transformative loving relationships. |
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