ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Arthur Vambaketes is a social studies teacher at Jennings Junior High College Prep & Career Academy, redefining the curriculum to better reflect his students.
“My students had been asking for it,” he explained.
As Vambaketes starts his spring semester, he's making changes to the upcoming academic year by including more Black figures in his lesson plans.
With the guidance of Black History 365, he will highlight Black influence in civics and American history. His seventh and eighth grade students, who are primarily Black, will now learn about people like Benjamin Banniker, Elijah Cummings, Kamala Harris and Barack Obama.
The changes he makes could soon be utilized by several teachers in the St. Louis area.
“The junior high is going to pilot the new curriculum,” he explained. “Once we have some successes and data, we will expand it to the district and hopefully beyond.”
Lessons about these Black historical figures will be integrated in the curriculum all year long, ensuring Black representation is a consistent part of the lesson plan.
“Representation matters,” Vambaketes said. “They want to talk about it and see themselves in the stories that made America what it is today.”
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