The Black Student Union (BSU) held their open mic night event in the student center after school Wednesday, Feb. 26. Many members of the club, as well as some students nearby who decided to join in, came together to take turns showing off their singing talent. One group of students came up to sing “Party in the USA” together, and a member of the BSU even sang an acapella piece.

“Anybody could come up and perform,” said Mr. Craig Council, the advisor of the BSU. “[The event was] just for kids to have a good time, do some karaoke, and relax a little bit at the end of the school day.”

Although relatively short, the open-mic night was just the beginning of the BSU’s week of events, as they also held  a “Black Excellence Panel” in the black box theater Friday, Feb. 28 where students had the chance to come up and ask questions in front of student alumni and local business owners. “[Our events are] an attempt at unity,” Mr. Council said, “We want everybody to come and participate—not just black students … we just want people to be aware of the trials and tribulations black people face in and out of school every day, and so everybody can be as proud of their heritage as we are of ours.”

Near the end of the event, Mr. Council took the microphone and told a few jokes, ending off the event with an advertisement for Friday’s panel. Meanwhile, the rest of the students crowded around a lunch table, getting their serving of the club-provided snacks and pizza.

_{Students gather around the podium to sing karaoke of an Alecia Keys song. “[Our club] likes to have fun,” Mr. Council said. “We like to sing, and we like to have fun.” (Photo/Carter Haynes)}