Ben Franklin Students Commemorate the 180th Birthday of the New Orleans Public Schools by Celebrating Their Diversity

Ben Franklin Students Commemorate the 180^th Birthday of the New Orleans Public Schools by Celebrating Their Diversity with Diversity Garden Rededication
NEW ORLEANS  – Benjamin Franklin High School students, along with Student Activities Coordinator John Parauka, gathered on campus on Saturday, March 20, to commemorate the founding of the New Orleans Public Schools 180 years ago.The students decided it would be appropriate to mark the occasion by rededicating the school’s Diversity Garden, and they spent the afternoon weeding, mulching, and planting new native plants.

“I loved working on the Diversity Garden with everyone!” said new ninth grader Hanh Le ’24. “It was really fun to work together and make new friends. Socializing is really hard to do during COVID, so I’m definitely glad I got the opportunity to meet new people while helping with the garden.”The Diversity Garden was donated by the Franklin Class of 1966 in honor of  the 14 courageous students of color who, by enrolling in Franklin in September 1963, made it the first racially integrated public high school in New Orleans. Members of the Class of 1966 dedicated the garden, which is used by the science and art classes for class activities and experiments, in November 2013 as part of their 50th reunion. Some of the 14 African American students who first integrated Franklin attended the ceremony and recounted their experiences. A few have children and grandchildren who have also attended Franklin. Everyone in attendance at the dedication ceremony in 2013 was thankful to be part of the first group to integrate a public high school in New Orleans and celebrated the fact that Franklin had evolved into one of the most diverse school communities in New Orleans. Many of the students who worked in the garden on March 20 also have been involved in the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives over the past several years.Parauka, who has worked with many students over his more than 25 years at Franklin, said he is always inspired by the positive attitudes of Franklin students and their willingness to help make a difference.

“The first time I came to campus, the Diversity Garden caught my eye, so when I heard Mr. Parauka needed volunteers to weed it, I thought, ‘Why not?’” said Lauren Ejiaga ’23. “I was ready to help out. I also loved the experience, as I have a garden at home and know what weeding and tending to it is like, and Mr. Parauka was very welcoming and social and talked about little things to each individual as we worked, such as the garden’s history, the kinds of plants in it, and when he planted them. In all, it was a very invigorating and educational ‘get out the house’ time.”For more information, please contact Eve Peyton at (504) 503-0062 or epeyton@bfhsla.org.  About Benjamin Franklin High School Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans’ most outstanding public charter school, has been preparing students for success through academic achievement since its founding in 1957. Consistently ranked as a “top public high school in the nation” by U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, and Business Week, Franklin has received the highest School Performance School in Louisiana, making it the No. 1 public school in the state, year after year. Ben Franklin is repeatedly named a National Blue Ribbon School, producing Presidential and National Merit Scholars each year. The exceptional students, faculty, and staff at Ben Franklin are the best and the brightest in New Orleans. For more information, please visit bfhsla.org.