By Jeremy Selweski
C & G Staff Writer

FERNDALE — It was an afternoon of celebration, with 430 students born in the 21st century standing tall in the school gymnasium, proudly singing one of most important folk songs of the 20th century in unison.

During Roosevelt Primary School’s annual Peace Walk on Jan. 15, kids in kindergarten through third-grade sang “We Shall Overcome” in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The tune itself has always been a part of the Roosevelt tradition, said Principal Dina Krause, but this was the first year that the students were all gathered to sing it as one group. It proved to be a fitting symbol of the equality and diversity at the heart of Dr. King’s dream.

According to K-2 music teacher Amanda Johnson, although “We Shall Overcome” is known as one of the defining anthems of the civil rights era, its roots actually date back as far as the Civil War. The song changed significantly between the days of its origin and its widespread popularity in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and for this year’s Peace Walk, second- and third-graders at Roosevelt added a new step in its evolution by creating their own lyrics in the spirit of MLK Day.

“We talked about what it means to be peaceful and how to make the world a better place,” Johnson said. “It’s a really timeless song, and they got to put their own stamp on it. It was a great experience teaching one song to an entire school. I think the kids had a really great time doing it.”

The Peace Walk began with a parade through the halls of Roosevelt, with each student carrying a poster representing themes such as hope, justice and freedom. Every class had its own unique style of artwork, from pictures of Dr. King to elaborate banners with peace signs to colorful illustrations bearing phrases such as “We are his dream.”

Many of the students could barely contain their excitement as they displayed their personal creations, jumping up and down and smiling from ear to ear. Parents watched from the wings and snapped photos as the kids made their way down the halls, holding up two fingers in a sign of peace. And Krause served as their biggest cheerleader, clapping and offering words of encouragement.

Once the parade was complete, teachers led the students to the gym, where Krause addressed the energized crowd. “We did a beautiful job on our Peace Walk,” she said. “I can’t wait to see your performance.”

Johnson then led the students through their rendition of “We Shall Overcome,” guiding them through a series of choreographed hand gestures that corresponded with the lyrics.

Following the performance, representatives from Operation: Kid Equip provided an additional treat by handing out free dictionaries to all third-grade students.

Diana Keefe, intervention specialist at Roosevelt, was impressed by the size of this year’s Peace Walk, which was no doubt helped by the fact that the school has about 100 more students than it did in 2008-09.

“Every year, it gets a little bit bigger and better,” she said. “It’s nice to see so many parents turn out. Ferndale is a very diverse community, so I think it’s important to celebrate all different cultures here.”

Krause agreed, but she pointed out that teaching students — even those as young as 5 — about the importance of peace and diversity has always been part of the philosophy at Roosevelt.

“We do a lot of things as a school family, and the Peace Walk is one of our annual traditions,” she explained. “It’s a great opportunity to celebrate Martin Luther King Day in an age-appropriate way. But at the same time, it’s really just part of our everyday routine here.”

For Johnson, instilling students with lessons that extend beyond textbooks is essential.

“It’s hugely important to teach kids about diversity,” she said, “because it doesn’t always happen in the home. As teachers, we sometimes see these kids for longer every week than their parents do. That’s why, in a school environment, we are responsible for promoting character development. Kids are never too young to start learning about these things.”

You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Selweski at jselweski@candgnews.com or at (586) 218-5004.