Maya McFadden Photos
Assistant Principal Tianko Ellison: Idea grew over years.
Erin Palmer and Nicholas Clement with their display.
One thing the fire extinguisher, guitar, super soaker, and pressure cooker have in common? They were all invented by African Americans.
Thanks to the students of the Ross Woodward School, those and other African American inventions are showcased in a Black History Month gallery.
The idea for the school-wide project came from Assistant Principal Tianko Ellison. She sought to teach not only the students but the school’s educators, staff, and families about the inventions of everyday products by African Americans. The exhibit at the school will be on display for the month of February.
“From the mop to the refrigerator to the mailbox, African Americans did that,” Ellison said.
Ellison had the idea to create a gallery in honor of Black History Month since she was teaching in New York. Back then Ellison had to confine the display to her single classroom. While a second-grade teacher, she had her students create book reports on Black inventors. Then as a sixth-grade teacher, Ellison enhanced her idea to have the students do research and create replicas of the entrepreneurs’ inventions.
Now in her first year as an administrator, Ellison has expanded the project to cover all classrooms at Ross Woodward, from pre‑K through eighth grades. “Now that they can see my vision, I think it will only get bigger from here,” said Ellison.
Erin Palmer and Nicholas Clement with their display.
Seventh-graders Erin Palmer and Nicholas Clement crafted an interactive display with their class on Granville Woods and his invention of the rollercoaster.
The class split into two groups for the project. One worked on the poster display while the others used hundreds of K’Nex’s to put together a functional rollercoaster replica.
A classes blood plasma display on inventor Charles Drew.
The goal is for students to gain a sense of pride from seeing the impact of African American inventors. “It makes me even poke my chest out and feel more worthy,” Ellison said.
Next year Ellison plans to expand into the community with ideas of possibly donating the projects to a local library to display or gaining a community partnership. Ellison also hopes to have more projects made next year to showcase inventors.
Miabella Chiliquinga and Max Reynolds.
Miabella Chiliquinga and Max Reynolds and their pre‑K classmates created a display on the tricycle, invented by Mathew A. Cherry. The students made their replica out of yarn and toilet paper rolls.
“I learned it [tricycle] needs a stabilizer, but he [Mathew Cherry] knows everything about the tricycle,” said Max.
Ellison shared her idea with the teachers at the start of January, with the deadline for projects to be completed being Jan. 31.
Each class took a different approach to put together displays and replicas. Some presented their research through Powerpoints while others used posters. Replicas for the projects ranged from being handmade to being recycled items from home.
Ava Palmer and Kristian Davis.
Third graders Ava Palmer and Kristian Davis worked with their class on researching Garrett Morgan, inventor of the first automatic three-way traffic signal system. The class created three replicas of different traffic signals.
Davis said she worked with her stepfather to make one of the three signals. “He was more excited than me,” she said.
Both Palmer and Davis said while doing research they were surprised to see that there were so many different traffic signal systems.
“We really want to offer the students a rich childhood experience,” Ellison said.
The school is opening its gallery to community visits from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.
