To celebrate Black History month, Jupiter High School’s Black Student Union has organized lunch-ins for every Friday of February. During these lunches, students can listen to presentations about different cultures and get to hear stories from guest speakers.

During the second lunch of February, BSU focused on the country and culture of Jamaica. Three guest speakers who grew up in Jamaica and moved to the U.S. in their youth spoke to students about their life experiences. 

“It took a while to adjust, maybe a couple of years,” Yolanda Thompson, guest speaker, said.

Thompson now works as School Base Behavioral Health Director for Palm Beach County. Like Ferguson and Leslie, Thompson came back in order to share her experiences with the students at the luncheon. 

“I’m watching to see how many people take this stuff with them, because it’s something that they can hold on to and benefit from later on,” Leslie said.

The BSU reached out to different members of the community and coordinated with restaurants in order to hold the lunch-ins. 

“The idea was from Dr. I,” Alaila Ferguson, president of the BSU. said. “She gave us the idea to have luncheons to celebrate the culture and from there we had created a budget, looked for caterers, guest speakers and decorations.”  

The food featured at the lunch included classic Jamaican dishes such as jerk chicken, festivals, brown stew chicken, macaroni, burgers and Jamaican drinks. 

“[The food] was 10 out of 10,” Jaden Jackson, BSU member, said. “I’m Jamaican, so you know, it’s always great to educate other people about your culture and the history and background of your people.”

The BSU has already highlighted other countries such as Haiti, Jamaica and Ghana, and is finishing off the month by showcasing African American culture. 

“I’m definitely excited for the last one. That is the one that everyone’s anticipating, it’s African American, you’re excited for the food, you wonder about the culture; it’s just a lot of excitement all around,” Ferguson said. 

In addition to the multiple lunches this month, the BSU has also put up posters around the school showcasing different black celebrities and idols. They are also talking about planning a showcase or spirit week at the end of the year to further celebrate Black History Month and black students at Jupiter High School. 

“The more we learn, the more we’re able to make decisions,” Thompson said.