Several exciting things happened at SMAN 1 Tana Toraja this month, including Valentine’s Day Collaboration, learning about Black History Month, revealing the new English Library, and hosting the local WORDS Competitions.

Throughout this month, ETA Angela Zhu has been teaching students about Black History Month through presenting a story on some aspects of the life of a slave and having students put themselves in the shoes of famous black Americans.

Students read a biography in groups and would write about how they thought these people felt in certain situations in their lives. For instance, one group wrote that Malcolm X probably felt proud after he changed his last name to X to state that his African name was taken from his family by white people.

Later this month, Angela introduced the English Library through a scavenger hunt. Students checked-out books read some of the biographies on the walls, engaged with the Poetry Wall, played some games, and looked at the Acts of Kindness. The students are excited to use this space for the next few meetings and, hopefully, for activities outside of the club.

Angela and ETA Michael Walsh had several collaborations this month, starting with their ‘Love is in the Air’ event, where students from SMAN 1 Tana Toraja and SMKN 1 Tana Toraja learned about Valentine’s Day. Students met new people as they participated in various activities and learned about the different forms of love.

Both schools also hosted their local WORDS Competitions. Some students represented SMAN 1 in the local WORDS competition, where everyone created their own original stories and presented marvelously. It was hard for the judges to decide, but they chose one student to represent SMAN 1 at the National WORDS Competition in Jakarta.

Angela Zhu is currently teaching at SMAN 1 Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi.