53 BCPS schools headed for statewide finals - 2/15/07

Teams winning first, second, and third places in the elementary division represented Warren, Westchester, and Rodgers Forge.

At the countywide Black Saga competition held February 3 at Randallstown High School, African American History Month started in Baltimore County with more than 1,000 parents and community members cheering students for their understanding that African American history is an integral part of American history.

Initiated by Dr. Charles Christian, author of Black Saga: The African American Experience, the Black Saga competition challenges students to answer more than 800 questions about the African American experience. Black Saga competition begins each fall when students start competing first against teams within their schools and counties before moving up to the statewide finals.

Black Saga participants from Red House Run Elementary School and their advisor

At the countywide event, Dr. Christian served as moderator as two three-member teams participated from each of 40 BCPS elementary and 13 BCPS middle schools. Throughout the half-day event, Randallstown High overflowed with more than 1,000 enthusiastic parents, school staff, family, and friends who listened intently as students answered questions and stood to cheer all participants for their efforts.

Across the county, students have prepared for Black Saga by studying African American history on nights and weekends, in addition to keeping up with their regular school work. For example, at Warren Elementary School each Friday since September, 11 students delayed the start of their weekend to stay after school with fourth- and fifth-grade teacher Karen Williams to learn all that they could about African American history.

Students from Winands stand before their Black Saga poster entry.

Their hard work paid off at the countywide competition when a team of Warren Elementary fifth graders - Tionne B., Regina L., and Aaron S. – emerged as the elementary champions of the 2007 Baltimore County Public Schools Black Saga Competition.

A team of eighth-grade students from Sudbrook Magnet Middle School - Dallas B., Victor O., and Brook-Logann W. – won the middle school championship.

A projected score sheet allowed audience members to follow the progress of their favorite middle school teams.

Each year since the county level competition began in 2004, the number of county schools participating has risen. “This high level of involvement demonstrates our students’ commitment to learning, even after school and on weekends, and the commitment of our staff and families to supporting students in their development as scholars and leaders,” said Superintendent Dr. Joe A. Hairston. “In addition to offering students valuable insights into African American history and its contribution to American history, Black Saga promotes overall academic rigor in our schools, helps students develop enduring study skills, and engages the community in celebrating academic achievement.”

Black Saga participants and advisor from Harford Hills Elementary School

The following teams ranked within the top 10 at the countywide competition:

Elementary Division
1st Place	Warren, Team A
2nd Place	Westchester, Team A
3rd Place	Rodgers Forge, Team B
4th Place (4-way tie)	Cromwell Valley, Team A
	Deer Park, Team B
	Rodgers Forge, Team A
	Church Lane, Team B
8th Place	Church Lane, Team A
9th Place	Deer Park, Team A
10th Place	Cedarmere, Team A
Middle School Division
1st Place	Sudbrook, Team B
2nd Place	Franklin, Team A
3rd Place	Sudbrook, Team A
4th Place	Franklin, Team B
5th Place (2-way tie)	Deer Park, Team A
	Meadowood, Team A
7th Place	Deep Creek, Team A
8th Place	Old Court, Team A
9th Place	Deep Creek, Team B
10th Place	Woodlawn, Team B

All schools that participated in the countywide finals are eligible to send up to two teams each to the Maryland State Black Saga Competition, which will be held on March 17 at Towson University.  This list of schools includes:

Elementary Schools		Middle Schools
Bedford	Mars Estates	Cockeysville
Carney	Milbrook	Deep Creek
Cedarmere	Oakleigh	Deer Park Magnet
Chapel Hill	Padonia International	Franklin
Church Lane	Pinewood	Lansdowne
Colgate	Pleasant Plains	Loch Raven Academy
Cromwell Valley	Randallstown	Meadowood Education Center
Deep Creek	Red House Run	Middle River
Deer Park	Rodgers Forge	Old Court
Dogwood	Scotts Branch	Southwest Academy
Dundalk	Sussex	Sudbrook Magnet
Elmwood	Warren	Windsor Mill
Halstead	Wellwood International	Woodlawn
Harford Hills	Westchester
Hawthorne	Westowne
Hebbville	Winand
Johnnycake	Winfield
Joppa View	Woodholme
Logan	Woodbridge
Lutherville Lab	Woodmoor

Teams from Sudbrook Magnet Middle School won both first olace and third place in the middle school division. They pose here with Black Saga creator Dr. Charles Christian and the second place team representing Franklin Middle School.

For the past three years, Baltimore County fielded more teams than any other school district in Maryland. Baltimore County was also the first in the state to host its own countywide competitions prior to the state finals. Howard and Prince George’s counties now also host countywide events.

Teams from Baltimore County swept the statewide Black Saga competition in 2005 and 2006.

In 2005, teams from Deep Creek, Cromwell Valley, and Battle Grove placed first, second, and third, respectively, at the elementary level. Another team from Cromwell Valley placed fifth and a team from Church Lane placed ninth. Loch Raven Technical Academy and Franklin placed in the top ten in the middle school division.

An award-winning Black Saga poster from Dundalk Elementary School

In 2006, all five of the Baltimore County Public Schools that qualified for the final round in the elementary division placed within the top nine. A team from Church Lane Elementary Technology School came in first, followed in second place by a team from Cromwell Valley Elementary Regional Magnet School of Technology. A team from Battle Grove Elementary came in third. In addition, a team from Westchester Elementary School placed fifth, and a second team from Cromwell Valley placed ninth. In the middle school division, teams from Loch Raven Academy and Franklin Middle School made it to the final round; one of them, from Loch Raven Technical Academy, placed fifth.

Story by Diana L. Spencer, communications officer. Photos by Pat Robeson of the Maryland Geographic Alliance, a Black Saga volunteer.

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