Leyla Martin
E'monie Blakeney (10) places her Women's History Month sticky note on the wall to show her appreciation for the important women in her life.
International Women’s History Month took place during the month of March and called for acknowledgment and celebration by The Pitchfork. Staff members gathered to promote this cause in the cafeteria on March 20th. A sign announcing International Women’s Day was hung up and prompted students to write down the woman that has been most impactful to their life on a sticky note and add it to the poster. As the names of many women accumulated on the poster, the message of how impactful women are to all of our lives was demonstrated to students and staff at Marietta.
Students from various parts of the cafeteria came to share their piece on it, bringing Marietta together under the celebration of the month dedicated to women. Many sticky notes read “my mom”, “my grandma”, “my sister”, an impactful female staff member, or a favorite female music artist.
“I said that my mom has been the most impactful woman in my life, because she sets a good example of how to be hard-working and kind to others,” Addison Tilley (12) said.
Students appreciated the opportunity to share their thoughts on the subject, and bring attention and recognition to the women that work hard to make student’s lives better each and every day.
“I enjoyed the chance to share my piece on how impactful various women have been to me. I hope that this opportunity also encouraged my peers to share their thoughts and stay grateful for the important roles that many women play in our lives, ” Tilley said.
Many students were encouraged to communicate with others about their contributions, furthering the purpose of this initiative. The poster with the sticky notes remains in the entrance to the cafeteria, so that students and staff at Marietta can continue to appreciate the impactful women in their lives, even after the end of International Women’s Month.
The International Women’s Day event was deemed a success as it brought many students together and provoked thought about who students were grateful for in their lives. In the future, The Pitchfork hopes to continue celebrations in honor of months that acknowledge specific groups of people that make differences in our lives. Students’ acknowledgement of who they have been impacted by promotes gratitude and kindness within MHS as well as the Marietta community.