To create a stronger feeling of unity and community for her fellow Black students, Rancho Bernardo High junior Taylor Barkum wanted to hold an event for them that involved Poway Unified’s five traditional high schools.
That dream became a reality on the evening of May 20 when an estimated 50 members of the Black Student Union clubs at Del Norte, Poway, Mt. Carmel, Rancho Bernardo and Westview high schools came together for food, games and fellowship on RB High’s quad.
The BSU Link-Up as Barkum, 16, called it is potentially the start of future collaborations between the BSU clubs at the five schools.
The inaugural BSU Link-Up planning committee included Mt. Carmel High School junior Samiah Bradford, senior Alonzo Miller and Rancho Bernardo High junior Taylor Barkum, who came up with the idea to hold the May 20 event. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak)
“I started this event after noticing that many Black Student Union clubs across the district are small and can sometimes feel overlooked or isolated on their own campuses,” Barkum said. “I wanted to create something that brought students together across schools and created a stronger sense of community and visibility.”
Barkum said the event was fully student-led and community-supported, not district funded.
“Students have organized outreach, planning committees, promotion, donations and partnerships themselves. Community members also fulfilled our Amazon wishlist for supplies in under an hour, which was really meaningful to see,” she said.
Around 50 members of Black Student Union clubs at Poway Unified School District high schools attended the May 20 BSU Link-Up at Rancho Bernardo High. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak)
Local businesses provided food and prizes, parents chipped in with decorations and the students brought their own fun activity supplies such as the Twister game, hula hoops, hacky sack balls, four square balls, a large Connect Four game, a cornhole game, Frisbees and music. They also played Uno, musical chairs and a game that involved Oreo cookies.
“I’m really happy this turned out well,” Barkum said during the event. “We did this for our community and each other, especially since Poway Unified School District has less than 3% African Americans. … We have such a low percentage of Blacks in the area and want to meet more people of our kind, to show we have each other. This is a fun event for everyone.”
Students from various Poway Unified high schools dance together during the BSU Link-Up on May 20 at Rancho Bernardo High. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak)
Mt. Carmel senior Alonzo Miller, 17, the president of his school’s BSU chapter, helped Barkum with the planning. He had nothing but praise for the event.
“When we met at the beginning of the year on the Black Advisory Committee we talked with PUSD about wanting to make an event like this,” Miller said.
“This meant a lot to me,” Miller said, adding he met few Blacks during his years growing up in Poway Unified.
“When I got to Mt. Carmel, I had my first role model, our adviser Mr. Whitlock, who got me involved in BSU. For me, to see this community of students come together when we have low percentages at our own school is great. We have a big group that was able to come all together.”
Mt. Carmel junior Samiah Bradford, 17, was also involved in the planning.
“It is great Taylor came up with this idea and her mom helped,” Bradford said. “Poway needs more diversity and this is a great way to bring us together. She’s very bright and put her mind to doing it.”
Before the event concluded, around two dozen seniors were recognized and presented with Kente honor cords that they can wear with their caps and gowns during their June 4 graduation ceremonies.
Among those playing hacky sack during the BSU Link-Up were Rancho Bernardo High senior Christain Torres; juniors Parsun Khales, Xavier Knight and Manny Collins; and senior Silas Christensen. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak)
Westview High seniors Carly Isleta, Rushika Raghuwanshi and Morago Ogonsaju playing cornhole during the BSU Link-Up event. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak)
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Among those playing hacky sack during the BSU Link-Up were Rancho Bernardo High senior Christain Torres; juniors Parsun Khales, Xavier Knight and Manny Collins; and senior Silas Christensen. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak)
Rancho Bernardo High Assistant Principal Jonathon Walker, who advises RB’s BSU chapter, said he was happy to help the students put the event together. Walker said with less than 3% of students of African-American backgrounds in the district, it is important to help them connect with peers at nearby high schools.
Walker added that for some, it was also a reunion with students they may have attended elementary or middle school with, but ended up losing touch when attending different high schools in the district.
“I give Taylor a lot of credit for spearheading this,” Walker said, adding he would like to see such events held more often in the future. Maybe a similar welcome back event can be held at the beginning of next school year, not just an event at year’s end, he said.
“Hopefully this can branch out and maybe not just be PUSD,” Walker said, noting there are some San Diego Unified high schools nearby with BSU clubs. “The point is to make and create space that is welcoming and safe, where they can have a good time celebrating.”
Rancho Bernardo High seniors and siblings Mara, Zayma and Silas Christensen were among those at the BSU Link-Up on May 20. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak)
RB High senior Silas Christensen, who attended with his sisters Mara and Zayma – the siblings are triplets — said the event was “a good way to start bringing the schools together, have the community appreciate Black history … and be highlighted a lot more.
“Coming here was good, because we could make new friends and show people the district cares about BSU. It was nice to see,” he said.
Mara Christensen added that she too found the event to be enjoyable because they could celebrate their Black culture.
“I have more connection … to my community … and found family here,” she said.