Several Watkinson students from West Hartford students participated in a panel discussion Friday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

Panel at Watkinson School’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration includes (from left): Head of School Teri Schrader, New Britain Alderman Manny Sanchez ’07, CCSU Student Rosemarie Ayala-Soto ’15, Nick Sailor (Bloomfield), Natty Pinkes ’17 (West Hartford), Danni Cao ’17 (West Hartford). Submitted photo

Submitted by Jenni French, Watkinson School

Watkinson School, Hartford’s oldest independent school, hosted a special day of service learning in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.  The day drew several area notables to campus including long-time Hartford educator Martha Brackeen-Harris, former deacon Art Miller, New Britain Alderman Emmanuel Sanchez ‘07, as well as student panelists from West Hartford, East Hartford and Bloomfield.

Middle School Students ventured to Trinity Academy in Hartford for a day of collaboration. They paired with Trinity students to build robots, paint a mural, explore poetry, cook and share a meal.

Upper School students stayed on campus to hear Martha Brackeen Harris and Art Miller speak about their direct connection and family history with Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement and how this history informed their lifelong commitment to service.

Brackeen-Harris is a former head of Watkinson’s middle school who taught for over 40 years in Philadelphia and Hartford area schools. She has conducted diversity workshops both locally and nationally and has spoken about her life growing up in the Civil Rights era to a variety of audiences. She inherited her passion for working for equity and justice from her father, Rev. S. Amos Brackeen, who was a friend of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Art Miller, after retiring from the insurance industry, became Hartford’s first African-American ordained deacon of the Roman Catholic church, a post he retired from in 2015. Miller grew up in Chicago where he was classmates with Emmett Till, was murdered during a visit to Mississippi in 1955 for allegedly flirting with a white woman. He has published a book based on his memories of that incident and the conditions for black Americans in that era.

Following the presentation by Miller and Brackeen-Harris, Head of School Teri Schrader moderated a panel discussion entitled “Young People in Service to Others” featuring panelists: Nathaniel Pinkes ’17 (of West Hartford), Danni Cao, ’17 (of West Hartford), Manny Sanchez, ’07 (of New Britain), Nick Sailor (of Bloomfield) and Rose Ayala Soto ’16 (of East Hartford).

After the panel discussion, each 9th-12th grade advisory group completed a service project on or adjacent to campus.  The morning ended by coming together and sharing “Sunday Supper” in advisory – potluck meals in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.’s call for people to share “Sunday Supper” with friends and neighbors from diverse backgrounds to discuss way to improve our communities.  

Watkinson School, a co-educational day school for grades 6-PG, was founded in 1881 and is Hartford’s oldest independent school. Watkinson’s next open house for prospective students is January 20 at 9 a.m.

Guest speakers Deacon Art Miller (Windsor) and Martha Brackeen-Harris (Bloomfield) address the students. Submitted photo