A child’s voice, once heard, is something to behold.

On Feb. 12, first graders at Rachel Patterson Elementary performed a Black History program that blew me away.

This was at the end of a normal Monday, so yeah, it was busy and I had to rush to get to the school for the performance.

Principal Jonathan Brantley was giving his opening remarks when I walked into the crowded cafeteria.

Phew.

Once the program, which was put on by first graders at RPES, along with their teachers, started in earnest, all of my stress about the day melted away.

All month long, the country is celebrating Black History Month, and after getting a dose of the greatness of Rosa Parks last Saturday, the program Monday put things over the top.

The whole entire first-grade class participated in the program, which included speeches and songs.

Select students spoke about the late great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Judge Thurgood Marshall, George Washington Carver, and sang the “Peanut Butter Jelly” song (a favorite of mine), recited a poem called “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou, “Hey Black Child” by Useni Perkins, and much more.

The students and teachers at RPES should be proud of the product they put out on stage at the school on Feb. 12.

Brantley quipped after the program was over that school is over for the rest of the year for the first graders as they are going on tour.

He quickly reassured to the students, and parents, that school is back in session for them the next day.

As the program concluded, the entire class stood to sing the African American National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

What a perfect ending to a great program.

Kudos goes to the students and the teachers for their work in getting the program together to celebrate Black History Month.