ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 23, 1997 TAG: 9702240018
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE
Jon Holmes closed his eyes when the curtain opened - he didn't want to see the entire student body of Christiansburg High School watching him.
He had never played piano in front of the whole school, so he tried to focus on his rendition of the gospel song.
Just about everyone in the Black Awareness Club had the jitters Thursday. The two dozen members had spent two months preparing for the school's first Black History Month assembly in front of the whole school.
Last month, it wasn't clear whether this program would ever get organized. At meetings, some students would goof-off or argue. One club president quit out of frustration; the next one worked to pull the program together with just a few weeks to go.
But under the guidance of teacher William Calloway - and with more support from school administrators than members say they ever remember - the 4-year-old club got it all together.
The student body sat through the almost two-hour program with few disruptions. They cheered when student Elanda Reeves strutted across the stage in a multicolored African dress during the fashion show. They raised their hands when Douglas Covington, president of Radford University, asked if anyone had heard of Duke Ellington. They sang along with gospel singer Augusta Kitchen.
After the show, club president Juanita Buchannon got a hug from her cousin, Renee Phillps. Phillips, who graduated from Christiansburg High about 10 years ago, remembers asking her teachers to teach more than just civil rights.
"I never thought they'd start talking about all this," she said, referring to the historical black leaders featured in the program. "Things sure have changed in 10 years."
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM STAFF. CHS students attend the school's firstby CNBBlack History Month assembly.