By Josh Troy
Clarksdale Advocate
The PTO rewarded Coahoma County School District students for excelling in different ways by showing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, a 2022 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Black Panther. The movie was shown in Coahoma County Jr./Sr. High School auditorium that has a seating capacity of 830. Adults paid $3 to watch the movie, and students were not charged. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a sequel to Black Panther from 2018. The Black Panther character is named after the Black Panther Party, founded in Oct. 1966, a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization. College students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton were the founders.
“This is rewarding the district, the children,” said PTO President Tina Crawford on showing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. “We’ve been having perfect attendance, and we’ve been winning championships. Also, some kids scored proficient or advanced on their (state) tests and had incident-free days.” The students recently took the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program test, and the boys’ basketball team is going for its fifth Class 2A MHSAA state championship in seven seasons.
Several students talked about seeing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever for the first time on Friday and appreciated the PTO putting the event together. “It gives back to the community,” said senior Armoni Redmon. “It gives the kids something to experience.” Senior Markevious Thomas agreed. “I am supporting the school,” Thomas said. “It means a lot.”
“I never watched it before,” said eighth grader Kevin Mitchell in agreement. “It’s going to be good.”
The CCSD and Coahoma County Jr./Sr. High School pages will soon provide information about upcoming events, said Crawford. “We’re going to have a seventh and eighth grade spring sneaker ball, and we’re also going to have a 9th, 10th, and 11th sneaker ball in March,” she said.
A sneaker ball is a dance where students dress up but wear gym shoes.
“Also, we’re having a talent show in April,” Crawford said. PTO assistant secretary Andrea Williams said there will be a Coahoma County Got Talent contest with prizes on April 15th. “We’re going to invite all kids so they can audition and show their talent from dancing and modeling to anything,” she said.
