On February 26, Jada Jones, Director of Human Resources, read aloud A Ride to Remember: A Civil Rights Story by Sharon Langley and Amy Nathan to Grade 6 Manhattan Middle School and Westchester Middle School students. As an administrator and member of staff, Ms. Jones would not traditionally have opportunities to be in the classroom to engage with students. However, Windward hopes this read aloud is the first of more events for staff to be directly involved with students. 

In-person and remote students joined Ms. Jones via Zoom as she read the book, which is about the author Sharon Langley’s experience of becoming the first African-American child to ride a carousel at the Gwynn Oak Amusement Park in Maryland when it became desegregated in 1963. Following the read aloud, Ms. Jones answered students’ questions about the story’s themes and about Black History Month. Teachers also shared with students photos from the demonstrations and public protests that led to the Gwynn Oak Amusement Park being opened to all for the first time.