Principal offers a hallelujah for students stressed by tests

ROANOKE, Va. — It was a quiet but stressful time earlier this month at Lucy Addison Middle School, with the entire eighth grade locked into writing tests on March 6 and 7.

So on the 8th, Principal Robert Johnson decided to let his eighth-graders unwind with the Virginia Commonwealth University Black Awakening Choir, the Richmond university’s prized gospel choir.

The students, so recently cooped up in their test-taking bubble, cut loose and cheered as the roughly 80-person choir stomped and swayed its way through an hour-long program.

“Today’s the best thing to happen at this school,” said Whitney Payne, an eighth-grade student who said she was glad the writing portion of the state-mandated Standards of Learning (SOL) test was behind her.

“I feel relieved because that’s the hardest SOL,” she said. “You have to work really hard. You have to be focused.”

Johnson said he locked down the eighth-grade hallway for two days to let the students work undisturbed. His students had been practicing for the test for weeks, and many said they felt ready to take on the challenge.

“I’m quite proud of you,” their beaming principal told them during a break in the music. “You can achieve anything as long as you try. My eighth-graders, I believe in you; I love you to death. We want to see each and every one of you go to college.”

But the principal did not hide from his students the fact that the school desperately needs them to succeed.

Addison did not meet federal standards last year and is one of four city schools that has not gained state accreditation for three straight years. It could face penalties if it doesn’t perform better on state tests.

“We want that blue banner,” Johnson said, referring to the banner that the Roanoke school district places outside accredited schools. “Each and every one of you deserves that banner outside. Lucy Addison’s legacy deserves that banner.”

Lucy Addison, the school’s namesake, was an early 20th century teacher, principal and education pioneer who helped improve the education of Roanoke’s black children.

As entertaining as the choir was, Johnson said later he had another motive for bringing the VCU gospel singers to his school. The principal wanted his students to see real college students, people close to their own age who have struggled and survived through tests and gone on to higher education.

And the choir was happy to deliver.

In between songs, choir director Kevin Hall urged the students to do well in school and pointed to the choir behind him as an example. He also introduced some of the singers: the master’s degree student who works as an insurance adjuster; the graduate who works in a continuing care retirement community; and the fashion merchandising major who talked about her job interviews.

“I want you to know that getting your education now is going to pay off for you in the future,” Hall said as the adults in the auditorium clapped and nodded.

“Hopefully I’m planting a seed in you that will develop and flourish.”

Whatever it was he was planting, the students wanted more of it. They dragged one encore after another out of the choir.

And Johnson, smiling, let them stay.

“This is my reward for you,” he said.

(The Roanoke, Va., Times)