Being a young black woman in America, it’s important to me that my race/ethnicity along with others are being embraced globally. The study I am doing involves asking past graduates and current students of Roswell High School if they feel like their race/ethnicity is welcomed. Minorities in America often feel segregated or not as “crucial” to society. This common feeling that the majority of minorities feel is not acceptable, which is why it’s crucial that Roswell High School begins to take steps to make every race and religion feel included. I read the article “Inequalities And Minorities: How The Public School System Is Failing Our Students”, which inspired me to give constructive criticism on ways to improve this issue. In the article it states, “Role models play an important part in our everyday lives. They motivate us. They inspire us. They challenge us. They guide us. But what exactly is it about our role models that empower us so much?”

A club that embraces diversity here at Roswell High School would be BSU (Black Student Union), which not only focuses on Black student heroes and students but also encourages different students to come and get educated about our culture. Another club that embraces diversity at Roswell High School is the Step and Dance Team. Step team includes and invites different and unique people from all different cultures to learn the culture and expression in stepping. Dance Team is a new team at Roswell High School that encourages all students that bring the rhythm and attitude to express their love of dance in front of hundreds of their peers here at Roswell High. Teams like these at Roswell bring cultures and people from all over to join an active, positive group creatively.

Studies show that students get inspired and show more interest in school when they see more positive diversity in their everyday lives, such as posters about ethnic history, diverse club and sports members and school officials. Personally, I get motivated when I see my ethnicity/culture being embraced. Not only does this inspire me but it teaches other students who are not of the same culture to become educated about their fellow peers. This can result in less racial comments and segregation among students. Senior Bessma Abutunis sat down and expressed her concerns with me.

“I believe that diversity is something that makes Roswell High School feel like one. It makes us as students feel like we live in a true community that has our best interest at heart, and a more healthy environment. This will help people set aside judgement, causing students here at Roswell to prepare for the real world,” said Bessma. 

A few ways RHS can improve in this category is diversifying sports teams, clubs, spirit teams, school officials and counselors. It would be truly touching if  we also embraced different cultures in our school by hanging posters and visual pictures around the school representing these different cultures; this will also educate those who do not know about other cultures and their history around the world. Roswell High School is home to me and so many other students, although to expand the student count at Roswell we have to embrace everyone and make it known. Unfortunately, one of the current issues we face in America is unfair discrimination among minorities, which is why our school should be stepping up in certain areas to make sure that everyone feels embraced and included.  Bessma Abutunis is making a small but very history changing step at Roswell High by making a diversity page in this years CO’ 2020 Yearbook. This page has NEVER been done before in the yearbook, which will leave a positive impact on minorities in Roswell High School.