Asbury Park High School history class celebrates Black History Month

David Wronko’s Asbury Park High School history class celebrates veterans and Tuskegee Airmen for Black History Month.

Black History Month February 19 at Asbury Park High School: VFW with presentations

Awards

On February 19, VFW Veterans, Wilbur V. Martin, Vietnam Veteran, his wife Denise Martin, George Reed, Vietnam Veteran, and Ken Hodges came to Asbury Park High School to present awards to principal Dr. Perry Medina and Mr. David Wronko, history teacher.

Dr. Perry Medina

The first award given to Dr. Perry Medina was for establishing a strong partnership between Asbury Park High School and the VFW.

Through Dr. Medina’s leadership, he ensured that students would always receive a strong background into what veterans were about and their ongoing commitment to the country. This was done by having the veterans conduct presentations about their time of service.

David Wronko

In addition, the second award was given to Mr. David Wronko for his ongoing commitment in working with the VFW post in having multiple events such as Veterans Day, Black History Month, and Memorial Day, at Asbury Park High School.

Tuskegee Airmen presentation

Besides the awards, Mr. Wronko’s students gave the visiting veteran guests presentations on the history of Black Americans in the military. The topics were 369th Infantry Regimen, 761st Tank Battalion, Tuskegee Airmen, 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Buffalo Soldiers, Doris Miller hero at Pearl Harbor, and Henry Johnson who served in World War One.

Black History Month February 21st at Asbury Park High School: Tina Watson

In addition to the VFW guests, on February 21, Tina Watson, the daughter to Tuskegee Airman George Watson, made a visit to Asbury Park High School to give the students a presentation about the role the Tuskegee Airmen played in helping America win World War II. Through the use of multiple visuals and clips from the movie Red Tails, Ms. Watson showed how the Tuskegee Airmen performed their duties in protecting heavy bombers so they could carry out their missions in bombing Nazi Germany. Most if not all the Tuskegee Airmen missions were successful in getting the heavy bombers to their locations and back safely to base.

Students Artwork Published in another issue of Prehistoric Times Magazine

Besides these amazing events going on, Mr. Wronko’s students artwork once again were published in Prehistoric Times Magazine, issue 152. Jayla Mozo Rojas, 9th grade, Katherine Avila-Roman, 10th grade, and Axel Reyes, 9th grade all got their artwork published. Great job everyone!